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Dixie's Wild West Shitshow
Dixie doesn't have a title, but her friends and family have decided she's their post-apocalyptic leader. While the former librarian diligently prepares her coastal community of survivors for the arrival of The Author, the madman who orchestrated the corpse apocalypse, she's also being credibly threatened by The Publisher, seduced by The Editor-in-Chief, and stalked by her former lover. The Pickers are coming, The Agents are torturers, and The Editors are murderers. Life after the perfect apocalypse is a bit of a shitshow.
936 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 27, 2025
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6 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
February 24, 2025
**I edited my review many times to remove spoilers**
Jennifer Cyphers has done wonders with her second book. I was desperately waiting for her to release another one after reading The Cosmos In Her Hand. So obviously, I was thrilled when Dixie's Wild West Shitshow came out. And boy! The west was pretty wild!
She has maintained her unique style while carving another apocalyptic story that I'll remember for years to come. It is an epic with 900+ pages of thriller, romance, drama in the mix.
Though Dixie is what grounds this story, there are countless characters that demand equal attention. They do not just stand on the side but plough forward with their own story. Sometimes forking away from Dixie and merging back with the main storyline offering nuances.
Let's focus on Dixie. Because heck, it is her Shitshow. Lol! Here is a quote that explains how She operates, "She wanted to be mad at him with the understanding that she would not always be mad at him." So yeah, she is all this and all that while also in control of herself and sure of her needs. And why not, she's seen enough when as it turns out, it wasn't over. Her people needed her and she was ready for whatever it maybe on the other side of the bridge. Yes, a bridge was what stood between her the town she spent her life in.
This takes me back to the start of the story. Jennifer has developed each character and Dixie so diligently, taking the time needed to help the readers connect with them. We get a glimpse into their childhood, adolescence, and then into their adult lives.
And Grim Reaper, oh man! He was meant to stand with Dixie. Her strong personality could only be managed by him. Though she was a wonderful friend, wife, and mother. She was also a woman of steel. A perfect protagonist for this story.
If you like long books that immerse you in their story and take you in a faraway place that is relatable and not fantasy, then this one is for you. The town where the Shitshow takes place is in California!!! That's why it felt even more surreal when reading as it was not hard to visualize the setup. Do yourself a favor and pick this one up for your read... It won't disappoint you.
Jennifer Cyphers has done wonders with her second book. I was desperately waiting for her to release another one after reading The Cosmos In Her Hand. So obviously, I was thrilled when Dixie's Wild West Shitshow came out. And boy! The west was pretty wild!
She has maintained her unique style while carving another apocalyptic story that I'll remember for years to come. It is an epic with 900+ pages of thriller, romance, drama in the mix.
Though Dixie is what grounds this story, there are countless characters that demand equal attention. They do not just stand on the side but plough forward with their own story. Sometimes forking away from Dixie and merging back with the main storyline offering nuances.
Let's focus on Dixie. Because heck, it is her Shitshow. Lol! Here is a quote that explains how She operates, "She wanted to be mad at him with the understanding that she would not always be mad at him." So yeah, she is all this and all that while also in control of herself and sure of her needs. And why not, she's seen enough when as it turns out, it wasn't over. Her people needed her and she was ready for whatever it maybe on the other side of the bridge. Yes, a bridge was what stood between her the town she spent her life in.
This takes me back to the start of the story. Jennifer has developed each character and Dixie so diligently, taking the time needed to help the readers connect with them. We get a glimpse into their childhood, adolescence, and then into their adult lives.
And Grim Reaper, oh man! He was meant to stand with Dixie. Her strong personality could only be managed by him. Though she was a wonderful friend, wife, and mother. She was also a woman of steel. A perfect protagonist for this story.
If you like long books that immerse you in their story and take you in a faraway place that is relatable and not fantasy, then this one is for you. The town where the Shitshow takes place is in California!!! That's why it felt even more surreal when reading as it was not hard to visualize the setup. Do yourself a favor and pick this one up for your read... It won't disappoint you.
May 25, 2025
A librarian meets the walking dead
A normal life, with the normal interactions between friends and family, everyone with their ups and downs, every goes down to hell the day a madman decides to kill most of the people of the earth by implementing a virus in the head and converting almost everyone in zombies (corpses they call it). Few people survive the apocalypsis, Dixie, a librarian and her close friends. The problem is that they live in the center of the world according to the plan of this madman, the author. Editors that aimed to create a new world, ruling the corpses by their desires, Publishers which objective is to be the police of the new world, and an Author who wants to rule them all. Dixie only wants to survive another day in the apocalypsis blending in with the bad guys.
Another masterpiece by this author who really knows how to set a distopyan environment. For the lovers of TV series like "the walking dead", they will love the comes and goes between the characters to try to survive not only the corpses but also the rest of the humans. The moment you pass page one hundred you are completely hooked and won't put the book down, I promise. And after 900 pages, your output will be "this was so damn good". This is the best example of how an apocalypsis world can be so entertaining.
A normal life, with the normal interactions between friends and family, everyone with their ups and downs, every goes down to hell the day a madman decides to kill most of the people of the earth by implementing a virus in the head and converting almost everyone in zombies (corpses they call it). Few people survive the apocalypsis, Dixie, a librarian and her close friends. The problem is that they live in the center of the world according to the plan of this madman, the author. Editors that aimed to create a new world, ruling the corpses by their desires, Publishers which objective is to be the police of the new world, and an Author who wants to rule them all. Dixie only wants to survive another day in the apocalypsis blending in with the bad guys.
Another masterpiece by this author who really knows how to set a distopyan environment. For the lovers of TV series like "the walking dead", they will love the comes and goes between the characters to try to survive not only the corpses but also the rest of the humans. The moment you pass page one hundred you are completely hooked and won't put the book down, I promise. And after 900 pages, your output will be "this was so damn good". This is the best example of how an apocalypsis world can be so entertaining.
February 16, 2025
Dixie’s Wild West Shitshow opens before the apocalypse, and author Jennifer Cyphers wastes no time introducing a large cast of characters. In her story, as in life, relationships are both complex and vitally important, so pay attention. The eponymous Dixie makes an immediate appearance, and by the time life throws this former librarian a massive curve ball a little over five percent into the story, I already cared about Cyphers’ soon-to-be heroine so much I cried. Indeed, readers who skipped the book blurb might initially mistake this novel for a domestic drama, but fear not, dystopian fans. The killer corpses will arrive soon enough, and the bittersweet real-life events pre-apocalypse only heighten the insanity afterward.
When governments worldwide ignore online rumors of the coming apocalypse, everyday citizens led by Dixie must fend for themselves. The evil-doers are characters ripped from the pages of Writer’s Digest, including The Author who scripted civilization’s collapse, his murderous and sadistic team of Editors and Agents, and The Publisher who wants Dixie dead. The most important member of this merry band is Editor-In-Chief Mike, a middle-aged dad and history-teacher-turned-head-executioner nicknamed the Grim Reaper who is soon to become Dixie’s love-interest and secret partner in the resistance. (Yes, that is a single character.)
By now, you may have guessed that Dixie’s Wild West Shitshow is just as crazy and complex as the title implies. With red herrings, switched identities, and reveals galore, this is a book I could probably re-read for the rest of my life without finding every clue. The twist ending is one of the most mind-bending ever, all but guaranteeing readers will never look at technology the same way again. But the novel also includes important messages about the fine line separating mental illness from enlightened awareness, the power that life experience exerts on evolving personal perceptions, and the universal desire to live a meaningful life even if the world’s gone mad—maybe especially then. More importantly, despite being diabolically far-fetched, there are moments that the story rings uncomfortably true. When Cyphers writes, “You can’t compartmentalize the facts… It’s all one picture. We have to pull back a bit to see it clearly,” readers would be forgiven for thinking she’s referring to current events. At over 600 pages in print, Dixie’s Wild West Shitshow is a lengthy novel worth every minute of your time. So why not start reading it today?
When governments worldwide ignore online rumors of the coming apocalypse, everyday citizens led by Dixie must fend for themselves. The evil-doers are characters ripped from the pages of Writer’s Digest, including The Author who scripted civilization’s collapse, his murderous and sadistic team of Editors and Agents, and The Publisher who wants Dixie dead. The most important member of this merry band is Editor-In-Chief Mike, a middle-aged dad and history-teacher-turned-head-executioner nicknamed the Grim Reaper who is soon to become Dixie’s love-interest and secret partner in the resistance. (Yes, that is a single character.)
By now, you may have guessed that Dixie’s Wild West Shitshow is just as crazy and complex as the title implies. With red herrings, switched identities, and reveals galore, this is a book I could probably re-read for the rest of my life without finding every clue. The twist ending is one of the most mind-bending ever, all but guaranteeing readers will never look at technology the same way again. But the novel also includes important messages about the fine line separating mental illness from enlightened awareness, the power that life experience exerts on evolving personal perceptions, and the universal desire to live a meaningful life even if the world’s gone mad—maybe especially then. More importantly, despite being diabolically far-fetched, there are moments that the story rings uncomfortably true. When Cyphers writes, “You can’t compartmentalize the facts… It’s all one picture. We have to pull back a bit to see it clearly,” readers would be forgiven for thinking she’s referring to current events. At over 600 pages in print, Dixie’s Wild West Shitshow is a lengthy novel worth every minute of your time. So why not start reading it today?
June 21, 2025
🔥 BRO vs. DIXIE’S WILD WEST SHITSHOW 🔥
🥊 The Book: The world’s gone to hell—again—but this time the walking dead, sadistic editors, and corporate overlords are all part of the same twisted publishing metaphor. Dixie, a former librarian turned accidental badass, is trying to keep her seaside town alive while The Author plays God, The Publisher threatens annihilation, and The Editor-in-Chief tries to bang her. Spoiler: things get weird. And bloody.
💪 The Bro: I’m no stranger to genre chaos, but this one is like a library exploded inside a Mad Max film. Bring on the satire, the sci-fi, the apocalypse, and the zombies.
⸻
🥊 ROUND 1: First Impressions
• Wild concept. Publishing industry roles turned into end-times warlords? Unhinged, and kinda genius.
• Dixie rules. She’s the kind of protagonist you root for—no-nonsense and riding a moral compass through a world made of nonsense.
⸻
🥊 ROUND 2: In the Thick of It
• This book juggles a lot: post-apocalyptic survival, sci-fi weirdness, dark humor, zombies, and more industry satire than a failed MFA program.
• The cast is massive—editors, agents, lovers, warlords—and while many of them are cool, there is a lot to keep track of.
• Where Cyphers really shines is her emotional core. Dixie, like Kali from The Cosmos, gives this circus real stakes. She’s grounded and genuinely compelling amid all the mayhem.
⸻
🥊 ROUND 3: The Home Stretch
• It does feel long. Unlike The Cosmos, this one sags in places due to just how much is being stuffed into the ring.
• But still, you’ve gotta admire the ambition. It’s like Cyphers looked at our current world and said, “You know what this needs? Some righteous librarian vengeance.”
• The themes? Satirical, smart, and biting. The execution? Mostly clean, occasionally messy, but memorable.
⸻
🔥 FINAL BELL: The ARC Bro Scorecard 🔥
🥊 Unanimous Decision – Dixie’s Wild West Shitshow is a bold, bizarre, and bloody take on apocalypse fiction, held together by a killer protagonist. It gets a little crowded, but when the dust settles, you’ll be glad you came to the rodeo.
🥊 The Book: The world’s gone to hell—again—but this time the walking dead, sadistic editors, and corporate overlords are all part of the same twisted publishing metaphor. Dixie, a former librarian turned accidental badass, is trying to keep her seaside town alive while The Author plays God, The Publisher threatens annihilation, and The Editor-in-Chief tries to bang her. Spoiler: things get weird. And bloody.
💪 The Bro: I’m no stranger to genre chaos, but this one is like a library exploded inside a Mad Max film. Bring on the satire, the sci-fi, the apocalypse, and the zombies.
⸻
🥊 ROUND 1: First Impressions
• Wild concept. Publishing industry roles turned into end-times warlords? Unhinged, and kinda genius.
• Dixie rules. She’s the kind of protagonist you root for—no-nonsense and riding a moral compass through a world made of nonsense.
⸻
🥊 ROUND 2: In the Thick of It
• This book juggles a lot: post-apocalyptic survival, sci-fi weirdness, dark humor, zombies, and more industry satire than a failed MFA program.
• The cast is massive—editors, agents, lovers, warlords—and while many of them are cool, there is a lot to keep track of.
• Where Cyphers really shines is her emotional core. Dixie, like Kali from The Cosmos, gives this circus real stakes. She’s grounded and genuinely compelling amid all the mayhem.
⸻
🥊 ROUND 3: The Home Stretch
• It does feel long. Unlike The Cosmos, this one sags in places due to just how much is being stuffed into the ring.
• But still, you’ve gotta admire the ambition. It’s like Cyphers looked at our current world and said, “You know what this needs? Some righteous librarian vengeance.”
• The themes? Satirical, smart, and biting. The execution? Mostly clean, occasionally messy, but memorable.
⸻
🔥 FINAL BELL: The ARC Bro Scorecard 🔥
🥊 Unanimous Decision – Dixie’s Wild West Shitshow is a bold, bizarre, and bloody take on apocalypse fiction, held together by a killer protagonist. It gets a little crowded, but when the dust settles, you’ll be glad you came to the rodeo.
August 25, 2025
Get ready for some mental whiplash! This action-packed computer program apocalypse survival story is mind bending, provocative, and unputdownable!
The opening chapters are narrated with a soap opera tone, like background information in Greek mythology, except these gods and goddesses are the modern-day generations of people in a close-knit Southern California community with ties to Hawaii. Character dialogue is candid and loaded with gallows humor. The evolving characters and their relationships with each other ground this story. And at the center is Dixie, their fearless leader. Before the supercomputer program tosses civilization upside down, Dixie is a librarian who is loyal and devoted to her family and friends, and after, she discovers a leader and a soldier within herself that is resilient, adaptable, and courageous enough to do the hard things that most don’t want to do.
Dixie and her community must endure a restructuring of society filled with ever-changing rules; they trudge through the unknown without technology or cell phones, all the while trying to sort through what circumstances that most likely would have occurred whether there was an apocalypse or not – things like falling in love, faith, self-realization, and realizing you don’t know someone as well as you thought you did. The stakes and suspense are high in this long complex story that begs the questions: Who are we without our consciousness? When artificial intelligence crosses the line, will we say we did this to ourselves? What’s the criteria for being human?
If you love science fiction, war stories, romance, mystery, comedic thrillers, and you understand the power of having a “surly sarcastic survivor sidekick” with whom you can drink coffee just the way you like, then this book is for you!
The opening chapters are narrated with a soap opera tone, like background information in Greek mythology, except these gods and goddesses are the modern-day generations of people in a close-knit Southern California community with ties to Hawaii. Character dialogue is candid and loaded with gallows humor. The evolving characters and their relationships with each other ground this story. And at the center is Dixie, their fearless leader. Before the supercomputer program tosses civilization upside down, Dixie is a librarian who is loyal and devoted to her family and friends, and after, she discovers a leader and a soldier within herself that is resilient, adaptable, and courageous enough to do the hard things that most don’t want to do.
Dixie and her community must endure a restructuring of society filled with ever-changing rules; they trudge through the unknown without technology or cell phones, all the while trying to sort through what circumstances that most likely would have occurred whether there was an apocalypse or not – things like falling in love, faith, self-realization, and realizing you don’t know someone as well as you thought you did. The stakes and suspense are high in this long complex story that begs the questions: Who are we without our consciousness? When artificial intelligence crosses the line, will we say we did this to ourselves? What’s the criteria for being human?
If you love science fiction, war stories, romance, mystery, comedic thrillers, and you understand the power of having a “surly sarcastic survivor sidekick” with whom you can drink coffee just the way you like, then this book is for you!
July 18, 2025
Dixie’s Wild West Shitshow by Cyphers is a brutal, unflinching descent into a post-apocalyptic nightmare—one where the lines between right and wrong aren’t just blurred, they’ve been scorched off the map. Cyphers doesn’t hold back. She doesn’t soften the edge or ease you into anything. From page one, you’re thrown into the dirt and forced to crawl through a world gone feral—where The Editors are executioners, The Pickers are worse than scavengers, and The Agents twist fear into an art form. There are no heroes here. Just fractured people doing what they must to survive. And it’s glorious.
Dixie herself isn’t the kind of lead you follow because you admire her. You follow her because you have to—because she demands your attention. She’s scarred, sharp, and completely unpredictable. Then there’s Mike, tangled in motives and mystery, keeping you on edge. No one’s pure, and that’s the point. Cyphers carves out a world that’s unapologetically adult—raw, sexual, and haunting. There’s a pulse running through the book, like static before a storm, and once you’re in it, there’s no turning back. It’s dangerous. It’s seductive. And it’s absolutely addictive.
I’ve read Cyphers before, and she always delivers that beautiful, grimy hit—like a black rose blooming in the ashes. There’s something wild and wicked in her writing that just gets under your skin. This one? It lingers. Like blood on lace. Sweet. Dark. And impossible to forget.
Dixie herself isn’t the kind of lead you follow because you admire her. You follow her because you have to—because she demands your attention. She’s scarred, sharp, and completely unpredictable. Then there’s Mike, tangled in motives and mystery, keeping you on edge. No one’s pure, and that’s the point. Cyphers carves out a world that’s unapologetically adult—raw, sexual, and haunting. There’s a pulse running through the book, like static before a storm, and once you’re in it, there’s no turning back. It’s dangerous. It’s seductive. And it’s absolutely addictive.
I’ve read Cyphers before, and she always delivers that beautiful, grimy hit—like a black rose blooming in the ashes. There’s something wild and wicked in her writing that just gets under your skin. This one? It lingers. Like blood on lace. Sweet. Dark. And impossible to forget.
May 19, 2025
A very strange book, and easily the longest book I’ve ever read.
But as an occasional volunteer librarian (don’t ask!), something about the story really does resonate. I think what it suggests about the coming world with AI/Skynet/HAL/every other malignant AI in charge is eerie and echoes what I believe myself.
But there is also such a strange mashup of genres here that I sometimes didn’t know what to make of the book. Maybe that’s for the better, because I truly think this was a memorable book that isn’t much like anything else I’ve read.
But as an occasional volunteer librarian (don’t ask!), something about the story really does resonate. I think what it suggests about the coming world with AI/Skynet/HAL/every other malignant AI in charge is eerie and echoes what I believe myself.
But there is also such a strange mashup of genres here that I sometimes didn’t know what to make of the book. Maybe that’s for the better, because I truly think this was a memorable book that isn’t much like anything else I’ve read.
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