Zero Stars, Do Not Recommend & When a Dragon Falls

I received this book for free from the publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Zero Stars, Do Not Recommend by MJ Wassmer
Narrator: Stephen R. Thorne
Published by Recorded Books, Sourcebooks Landmark on August 6, 2024
Genres: Fiction / Humorous / Black Humor
Length: 11 hours 2 minutes
Pages: 384
Format: ARC, Audiobook
Source: Publisher
Goodreads
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'Fun, action-packed and wildly original' CULTUREFLY

'Five Stars, Would Recommend' GRADY HENDRIX

'Lord of the Flies crashes headfirst into The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy' BENJAMIN STEVENSON

What happens when you're on holiday and the sun explodes?

Professional underachiever Dan Foster is finally taking a break. Sure, his life has been average at best and, yes, he has never has quite lived up to his potential. But after a few Bud Lights in paradise with his girlfriend Mara, things are starting to look up.

Then the sun explodes.

With the island suddenly plunged into darkness, the ultra-rich guests hijack the remaining supplies and declare themselves the new ruling class. Led by a fitness influencer turned ruthless dictator, martial law is declared and the hoi polloi are press-ganged into service. And it's just Dan's luck that he could land an even worse job while on holiday.

As temperatures drop and class tensions rise, Dan might have found a way for himself and Mara to escape the island. But sneaking away would also mean abandoning the burgeoning revolution that he might-have-kind-of-sort-of single-handedly started.

'A must-read' BOOKLIST

'Totally original' ALICE BELL

'Fresh, fun and completely brilliant' SARAH BONNER

I liked this one! When I saw this title, I knew that I needed to get a closer look. I decided that it was worth a try pretty quickly. Imagine being on vacation at a tropical island resort when the sun decides to disappear from the sky. That is exactly what Dan, Mara, and the rest of the island’s visitors must contend with. I had a great time with this one and really appreciated the humor woven throughout the story.

Dan is not always a nice guy. He just wanted to enjoy his vacation but he somehow becomes one of the people others look to after the sun goes away. I thought that his flaws made him seem a lot more realistic. It doesn’t take long before the wealthiest of the island’s current residents start hoarding resources and trying to keep the lower classes down. Dan bands together with a few friends to try to find a way to survive the end of the world.

Stephen R. Thorne did a great job with the narration of this audiobook. I believe that this was the first time that I have had the opportunity to listen to this narrator’s work and I must say that I was impressed. He was able to heighten the humor of the story through his delivery and I thought that he added just the right amount of emotion to his reading. I liked the voices that he used for the various characters in the story which helped to bring the story to life. I am certain that his performance added to my overall enjoyment.

I would recommend this book to others. I thought that the premise was really unique which was a big drawn and I appreciated the author’s sense of humor. I look forward to reading more of this author’s work in the future.

I received a review copy of this book from Recorded Books, Inc. and Sourcebooks Landmark.

I received this book for free from the publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

When a Dragon Falls by Kerrelyn Sparks
Narrator: Jill Tanner
Series: Embraced by Magic #4
Published by Kensington, Recorded Books on October 24, 2023
Genres: Fiction / Romance / Fantasy
Length: 12 hours 47 minutes
Pages: 304
Format: ARC, Audiobook
Source: Publisher, Purchased
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Game of Thrones meets The Princess Bride when New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Kerrelyn Sparks merges romance, high fantasy, and humor in her third Embraced by Magic novel – perfect for fans of G.A. Aiken, Christine Feehan, and Lynsay Sands…

In a land of mist and magic, one dragon princess must test her wits against a ruthless and devious enemy . . .

Princess Lenushka of Norveshka prides herself on her courage. She’s faced down the doubters who think a woman dragon shifter is worth less than a man. She will marry to secure the support of her nobles—and ensure she’ll hold the Norveshki throne. A battle-hardened soldier, she’s prepared to destroy the Brotherhood of the Sun, who threaten all Aerthlan. But she can barely look at Bran Morris, the Raven. His dark, brooding beauty is off-limits for a princess who must wed for advantage. And he has far too many secrets of his own for Lennie to trust him with hers.

Bran’s quest is for vengeance, against the Brotherhood monsters who killed his brother and abused his sisters. He can’t dream about the sharp-eyed woman warrior whose memory haunts him, not even when she appears to rescue him from an unknown dragon shifter. But when Lennie and Bran discover they’re Aerthlan’s last defense against a powerful, murderous mastermind, they can no longer afford to deceive each other—or themselves. And when a dragon’s passion is freed, anything is possible . . .

I have been a fan of this series since the beginning. This story was just as good as I had hoped it would be. My only complaint is there are so many characters that I had a bit of a hard time remembering who was who and how everyone was connected. I quickly got caught up with what was going on and enjoyed getting to see a new couple come together.

Lennie is the only female dragon shifter and a princess. She is expected to marry another dragon since she will one day inherit the throne. Bran is out for revenge against those who killed his brother and harmed his sisters. When he is injured, he has no idea that the dragon responsible is Lennie. These two are drawn to each other despite their many differences and I enjoyed watching them work things out.

Jill Tanner does a good job with the narration of this audiobook. Her voice sounded a little bit older than I would have chosen but she won me over in the end. I believe that this is the first time that I have had the chance to listen to her work and I really enjoyed her range. She adds just the right amount of emotion to her reading to keep me hooked. I do believe that her performance added to my overall enjoyment.

I would recommend this book to others. I would recommend reading this series in order if at all possible since so many characters from previous books play a role in this story. I can’t wait to read more of this talented author’s work.

I received a review copy of this book from Kensington.

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