Here are 4 books that Zero Stars, Do Not Recommend fans have personally recommended if you like Zero Stars, Do Not Recommend. Shepherd is a community of 12,000+ authors and super readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

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Book cover of World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War

Janice Hardy Author Of Understanding Show, Don't Tell: And Really Getting It

From my list on novels that show and don’t tell.

Why am I passionate about this?

I love 'Show, Don’t Tell' because it really brings a novel to life for the reader. It’s something so many writers struggle with, but it can turn a so-so novel into one readers can’t put down. Losing yourself in a story is the sign of great writing, and when a writer can show me what’s in their head and do it in a way that makes me forget I’m reading, well, that’s a book that keeps me turning the pages until it’s done. And that’s my favorite part of reading, writing, and teaching writing. 

Janice's book list on novels that show and don’t tell

Janice Hardy Why Janice loves this book

This book is one of my all-time favorites, because even though I knew it was fiction, it felt like nonfiction as I was reading it. It was that authentic, and that alive. I truly felt like I was reading an actual history book about an event from my own world. 

The narrative structure was also amazing, telling the entire story through interviews with survivors of the zombie war, and I was riveted by those stories. They showed me what it was like to face that zombie horror, which made me desperate to know what happened, how they survived, and how they managed. Although I was reading, it felt like I was watching actual people tell their tales.

By Max Brooks ,

Why should I read it?

26 authors picked World War Z as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

It began with rumours from China about another pandemic. Then the cases started to multiply and what had looked like the stirrings of a criminal underclass, even the beginning of a revolution, soon revealed itself to be much, much worse.

Faced with a future of mindless man-eating horror, humanity was forced to accept the logic of world government and face events that tested our sanity and our sense of reality. Based on extensive interviews with survivors and key players in the ten-year fight against the horde, World War Z brings the finest traditions of journalism to bear on what is…


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Book cover of Aggressor

Aggressor by FX Holden,

It is April 1st, 2038. Day 60 of China's blockade of the rebel island of Taiwan.

The US government has agreed to provide Taiwan with a weapons system so advanced that it can disrupt the balance of power in the region. But what pilot would be crazy enough to run…

Book cover of The Wandering Inn

E G

From E's 3 favorite reads in 2025.

Unknown Author Why E loves this book

The beginning was tough but once it gets going it doesn’t stop

By pirateaba ,

Why should I read it?

31 authors picked The Wandering Inn as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

(This novel is the e-book version of the free web serial. You may read the entire ongoing story at wanderinginn.com free of charge.)

“No killing Goblins.”

So reads the sign outside of The Wandering Inn, a small building run by a young woman named Erin Solstice. She serves pasta with sausage, blue fruit juice, and dead acid flies on request. And she comes from another world. Ours.

It’s a bad day when Erin finds herself transported to a fantastical world and nearly gets eaten by a Dragon. She doesn’t belong in a place where monster attacks are a fact of…


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Book cover of Trusting Her Duke

Trusting Her Duke by Arietta Richmond,

A Duke with rigid opinions, a Lady whose beliefs conflict with his, a long disputed parcel of land, a conniving neighbour, a desperate collaboration, a failure of trust, a love found despite it all.

Alexander Cavendish, Duke of Ravensworth, returned from war to find that his father and brother had…

Book cover of Mage Tank

Chris Cook

From Chris' 3 favorite reads in 2025.

Unknown Author Why Chris loves this book

One of the most refreshing LitRPG books I've checked out in a long time. Nothing quite stands on the same level of Dungeon Crawler Carl but Mage Tank is one of the few in the genre I've read that feels like it wasn't just a cheap royal road republishing.

I enjoy the genre but am constantly frustrated by the writing style being geared towards serialized publishing. Mage tank doesn't necessarily do anything unique but from the writing quality & style, humor, pacing, world building, core systems and just general feel - it is almost unique in the genre for doing all of them well.

I'm excited to see where the series goes as I haven't gone beyond book 1 but it was one of the larger surprise reads for me in 2025.

By Cornman ,

Why should I read it?

4 authors picked Mage Tank as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A hilarious new Isekai LitRPG adventure perfect for fans of Dungeon Crawler Carl and Full Murderhobo. Conquer ancient dungeons. Get rewarded. Grow stronger.After being killed by a high-velocity tree-hug, Arlo is transported to a new world where those brave and talented enough to conquer ancient Delves are rewarded with incredible power and abilities.Unfortunately for Arlo, there is no tutorial. He is immediately forced to tackle a Delve set to the highest difficulty with a party of adventurers who are not only strangers to him, but strangers to each other as well.Arlo has no armor, no weapons, no knowledge of the…


Book cover of World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War
Book cover of The Wandering Inn
Book cover of Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking

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