Time to Play

Apocalypse Parenting, Book 1

De: Erin Ampersand

Narrado por: Laurie Catherine Winkel

A few minutes ago, Meghan Moretti's biggest concern was getting the kids' athletic clothes washed in time for practice this evening.

Now, it seems that Earth has been forced into participating in some high-stakes intergalactic reality television. All electrical wiring has been slagged, and most combustibles neutralized. Some kind of evil space rodents are appearing on the front lawn, too.

Like any parent, Meghan's first instinct is to keep her young kids safely away from the monsters, but an odd stroke of luck has her coming into some advanced information about this dangerous game. She learns that her kids will have to fight too.

What's a mom to do?

Time to Play is the beginning of Apocalypse Parenting, an apocalyptic LitRPG saga.

©2022 Erin Ampersand (P)2023 Podium Audio

Loved this book!

Didn’t realize when I purchased this that it was so recently released and now I have to wait for the next one!!!
I started with the audible sample and decided that it might be ok so I purchased. Great decision. Very intriguing story from the mom/gamer/sci-fi pov. Moves quickly and the reader is great. Highly recommend.

A parent in a world of LitRPG apocalypse.

I devoured the two available books of the series in a couple of days. The book is not great by itself, but it was super fun to read a LitRPG story that primarily focuses on parenting and survival. Yes, people have skills, but what skills should a 3-year-old pick? And what skills should parents give to their 6- and 9-year-olds so they can survive in the new world but still be manageable kids? I strongly recommend this book to parents with a taste for progression fantasy.

Good story

Enjoyed the characters a lot, why is there a 15 word minimum for a review?

Such a great idea for a series!

As a woman, I'm just gonna say up front, I loved that the main character was a woman and that she had not just common sense but never did anything too stupid to live, didn't play helpless and took care of business. I'm not a mom but I can only imagine how tough it would be to allow your kids to be in danger to help them get stronger. I intend to continue on with the series, though I may take a break from it.

Some things I found myself wondering: Didn't this happen in the middle of the day/week? A lot of moms + dads were home, seemed strange to me that they weren't at work. Also, no air conditioning in summer in the South? There'd have been a massive die-off from heatstroke. Sudden complete loss of communication infrastructure, electronics, etc, again, big-time die-off, right?

I love the main character, though, and I even like her kids. Her three year old is way more mature than any toddler I know -- she'll probably end up the highest leveled and save the world, lol.

An apocalypse parenting tale with heart

Time to Play: Apocalypse Parenting, Book One by Erin Ampersand is an absolute gem! This book takes the concept of a litrpg apocalypse and weaves a compelling tale around a mom's struggles to protect her kids amidst the chaos. Meghan's journey is truly gripping, as she not only has to navigate the dangerous new world but also handle her newly empowered toddlers, which adds an extra layer of difficulty to the story.

The portrayal of the kids as actual little humans with distinct personalities is refreshing and heartwarming. It's rare to find such authentic and relatable child characters in a book, and the author excels at bringing them to life.

The survival aspect is well-crafted, with Meghan facing numerous challenges, including monsters and tricky neighbors, as she fights to keep everyone alive and fed. The implementation of the litrpg system in the story is intriguing and offers a twist to the genre.

Laurie Catherine Winkel's narration is commendable, even though there were minor hiccups, her performance overall is solid and adds to the enjoyment of the book.

Apocalypse with the kids

Time to Play

The apocalypse has come! I’m just one moment all electric wiring and combustion has stopped working. This cripples the vast majority of humanity’s modern conveniences and weaponry. Worse still, monsters immediately started appearing. Meghan is at home with her three young children while her husband is out of state on a business trip. It’s up to her to get her kids and herself strong enough to keep them all safe.

I’ve always enjoyed the apocalypse books. The young single MC powering through all the troubles. This is not that book. The situation is far more menacing when you have young children depending on you. How do you make sure your kids pick a good starting ability? How do you keep them from using their abilities on each other? As a parent of children around the same age, this book hits different. It is phenomenally written! I’m looking forward to book 2! Laurie Catherine Winkel does a great job with the narration!

Content warning: language

A relatable female protagonist

I loved the story and her relationship with her kids. It offers a unique perspective as most isegai and litRPG avoid children

Fun realistic story without an OP MC

This is crafted well. MC is a normal mom, and doesn't get any OP skills. The world and changes brought with the system are fun, interesting, and creative. The crafting is believable , no suddenly skills that magically make armor and weapons, which in and of itself make the challenge level of the characters higher . The personal relationships with her kids and the other people in the world too are believable. give this a try if you're looking for a really good read, you'll soon be thru book three and eager for more too!

Engaging, Unique, and Relatable!

I love how in a crazy world of monsters and aliens, the main character is still so relatable! It is such a unique take of LitRPG. Also such a fantastic narration. Excited to start Book 2!

It’s desperate, funny and gripping:

The stakes immediately aren’t just the MC’s life, but her entire family’s. It’s so easily relatable, and a true representation of parenting. Pulling a tooth vs world apocalypse? It’s the same level of issue to a young child, and it’s done well while still being funny.

If you like an MC that uses her head AND muscles, this one is for you. Real solutions to real problems, while maintain tension and interest. Gonna go see what else this author has written!

Can’t wait to get into the next book!