Independence Day from the 'little people's' point of view... with some surprising traits.

Aliens have landed. Dexter has been taken. This is just the first page, where Dexter is "overwhelmed by the notion of leaving everything I knew behind on that tiny blue dot that wasn't prepared for its sudden demise." We know immediately that this is no Happy Ever After. He tells us the story of a week ago, but also of his life and friends. Part of a large group of buddies, he's the only one not partnered up. Which seems to be significant.

One by one, he tells us how his friends all found partners, giving each personality and backstory (though I couldn't help but mix them up subsequently), making us see them all as noteworthy characters. The references of self-awareness are funny: "Enough back story, there's an alien invasion in progress" - I liked Dexter's narration from the present/future.

Dexter himself is single and lonely with it, despite loving his smart little cat (The Great Catsby) and having a career as an English teacher. When the world begins to fall apart, he bands together with his group and attempts to get them all to a place of safety, while watching the aliens and how they treat their victims.

I loved how Dexter described his friends as pairs: "Priti-and-Art". Very funny considering what happens to his friends.

Now, you'd expect this to be a horror story, as these are hostile aliens and they decimate the planet (again, this isn't a spoiler, this is told to us on the first page). But the horrors that are described are, almost universally, not dwelt on, mourned over, even though some description is fairly detailed. Dexter does at one point refer to grief, he empties his "body of its salt water", but it's removed from emotion somewhat.

The elements of an alien invasion you'd expect to read about are here - chases, deaths, protecting provisions, characters unexpectedly stepping up and showing unseen traits. But it's just as unusual in other elements.

Entertaining story, slightly unexpected, funny. The few chapters of bonus chapters after the book finishes add some little details of a few characters that I enjoyed for the alternative viewpoint they provided.

With thanks to Netgalley for the sample reading copy.

An engaging and entertaining apocalyptic book!
I liked the style of writing and the plot, well written and humorous.
The characters were well written and likeable.
I look forward to reading other books by this writer.
Recommended!
Many thanks to Unbound and Netgalley for this ARC

Third Wheel at first glance is an apocalyptic romcom. The protagonist is a single young man who has become a perpetual third wheel to all his happily coupled up friends. But now aliens have landed and their ideas of coupledom are significantly different, not too mention dangerous. It no longer pays to be part of a couple and survival is at a premium. Sounds cute, right? But the great thing about this book is that it isn’t or more like it manages to put its cuteness aside and get down to some seriously brutal apocalyptic reality. All the time spent describing various friends and their significant others and how they got together (frankly almost overwhelmingly so, at times it’s difficult to remember who’s who), so naturally you’ll end up carrying for them, they are, after all, a likeable bunch. And then the author does away with them, savagely. And, to his credit, very creatively. I enjoy apocalyptic fiction in general and it’s always nice to find a new twist on the genre. This story doesn’t offer any sort of warm and fuzzy resolution as you well know from chapter one narrated from some form of alien enclosure. Maybe there’s a sequel in the works. Though it works very well as a standalone survival story…and as a social commentary on the importance of pairing up too, I suppose. Plus it’s charming and charmingly British to boot, so there’s much to like here. It’s my second read by Unbound Press, winners both, and what an interesting concept, these books’ fates are decided by the public and are sponsored into being. Mind you, both very absolutely good enough to be released via more traditional methods and more well known publishers, but either way…I’m glad they came into the world. This one was tons of fun and a very enjoyable read. Recommended. Thanks Netgalley.