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Babysitter of the Apocalypse Book 3: We Don't Play With Fire
Vicki always insisted she wasn’t anyone’s mother.
Then she traded her freedom for a little girl who calls her Momma.
Now caged by the Children of Z, Vicki is starving, branded, and trapped at the mercy of the Mistress, a woman determined to use her as bait. The cult believes Theo will surrender to save her. Vicki knows him better. He’ll come fighting, and that could get everyone she loves killed.
Three weeks later, Theo finally finds a safe place for Gabby and Tina behind the walls of Fort Baker. But safety means nothing while their family is incomplete. With unexpected allies at his side, he follows a trail through cult camps, zombie-filled roads, and settlements where the living may be even more dangerous than the dead.
While Theo closes in, the Mistress prepares her cruelest spectacle yet, one designed to break them both.
But Vicki has survived foster homes, addiction, zombies, and becoming a mother against her better judgment. She refuses to let a self-proclaimed queen decide how her story ends.
To bring their family back together, Vicki and Theo will have to outwit the living, survive the dead, and prove that love isn’t a weakness.
It’s the reason they’re still alive.
Babysitter of the Apocalypse Book Three continues Vicki, Theo, Gabby, and Tina’s story and should be read after Books One and Two.
Then she traded her freedom for a little girl who calls her Momma.
Now caged by the Children of Z, Vicki is starving, branded, and trapped at the mercy of the Mistress, a woman determined to use her as bait. The cult believes Theo will surrender to save her. Vicki knows him better. He’ll come fighting, and that could get everyone she loves killed.
Three weeks later, Theo finally finds a safe place for Gabby and Tina behind the walls of Fort Baker. But safety means nothing while their family is incomplete. With unexpected allies at his side, he follows a trail through cult camps, zombie-filled roads, and settlements where the living may be even more dangerous than the dead.
While Theo closes in, the Mistress prepares her cruelest spectacle yet, one designed to break them both.
But Vicki has survived foster homes, addiction, zombies, and becoming a mother against her better judgment. She refuses to let a self-proclaimed queen decide how her story ends.
To bring their family back together, Vicki and Theo will have to outwit the living, survive the dead, and prove that love isn’t a weakness.
It’s the reason they’re still alive.
Babysitter of the Apocalypse Book Three continues Vicki, Theo, Gabby, and Tina’s story and should be read after Books One and Two.
350 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 1, 2026
About the author
Courtney Konstantin
27 books323 followersAs a child, Courtney always had aspirations of being a writer. She participated in journalism in school. At home, she wrote short stories, poetry and filled diary pages. Somewhere along the line becoming an adult took priority over her writing and she went to work in business operations.
Now as a mother to three beautiful children, she tells them all the time to follow their dreams, be whatever they want. Those lessons reminded her how much she loved writing. She finally opened the door to making writing a real priority in her life.
Living outside of Portland, Oregon she loves the green and beauty Oregon offers. When she’s not matching wits with her children, her crazy Siberian Husky or her bi-polar cats, she enjoys binge reading, hikes and touring wineries. Courtney and her husband, the love of her life, enjoy traveling the world whenever they can get a free moment. And cruises….she loves cruising. She’s especially fond of life, laughter and sarcasm – and she’s excited to share all of that and more with her readers!
Now as a mother to three beautiful children, she tells them all the time to follow their dreams, be whatever they want. Those lessons reminded her how much she loved writing. She finally opened the door to making writing a real priority in her life.
Living outside of Portland, Oregon she loves the green and beauty Oregon offers. When she’s not matching wits with her children, her crazy Siberian Husky or her bi-polar cats, she enjoys binge reading, hikes and touring wineries. Courtney and her husband, the love of her life, enjoy traveling the world whenever they can get a free moment. And cruises….she loves cruising. She’s especially fond of life, laughter and sarcasm – and she’s excited to share all of that and more with her readers!
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Author
I loved seeing the Sundown Characters in this book. Seeing these characters work together was really satisfying. The Mistress getting what she had coming to her had me screaming yes! 😱 🔥
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 5, 2026
ARC REVIEW:
This is my favorite book in the Babysitter series so far. I finished it in less than two days because the shocking twists kept me completely hooked. Courtney came out swinging with this one and doesn't hesitate to punch you in the gut with her revelations.
You ever finish a book so engrossing that it takes awhile to recover enough to dive into a new one?
Be ready for an emotional hangover.
This is my favorite book in the Babysitter series so far. I finished it in less than two days because the shocking twists kept me completely hooked. Courtney came out swinging with this one and doesn't hesitate to punch you in the gut with her revelations.
You ever finish a book so engrossing that it takes awhile to recover enough to dive into a new one?
Be ready for an emotional hangover.
September 3, 2026
Waited so long for this and then it leaves you hanging
I am so sick of the shorter books and the longer waits. It’s so disappointing to get to the end and be left with what where we left Vicki. I didn’t cook for my husband the day this came out because I was so excited and invested. Ugh I just don’t feel like it’s worth the drag to wait and be excited.
I am so sick of the shorter books and the longer waits. It’s so disappointing to get to the end and be left with what where we left Vicki. I didn’t cook for my husband the day this came out because I was so excited and invested. Ugh I just don’t feel like it’s worth the drag to wait and be excited.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
📚 𝗔𝗥𝗖 𝗖𝗢𝗣𝗬 📚 [⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5 Star Review]
☀︎𝐖E D𝐎N'T P𝐋A𝐘 𝐖I𝐓H F𝐈R𝐄 ☀︎ Is the third full length zombie book in the (Babysitter of the apocalypse) series by author Courtney Konstantin.
📚'𝙼𝚈 𝚁𝙴𝚅𝙸𝙴𝚆 𝙰𝙽𝙳 𝙾𝚃𝙷𝙴𝚁𝚂'📚 can also be found on my blog:
╰┈➤KITTY KATS CRAZY ABOUT BOOKS
As soon as this arc hit my inbox, over the weekend I sat down and re-read the series back to back, no distractions, loving this world even more the second time around.
I've only been reading this genre for the last few years, needing an escape from my usual go to genres as they weren't hitting the unique scale I seeked. And this genre hit those boxes like never before.
So when doing a search after I fell down that zombie rabbit hole, this author was highly recommended by a vast following, so the first book I jumped into of hers was 'Prepared' and from that book on I was a goner. I loved that series and fast became a fan so it was a no brainer to read this series which was inhaled and quickly solidified why I will read anything she writes.
After falling down that cliffy in the previous book, I couldn't wait for more, Vicki had made a huge sacrifice to save the two girls she had come to love, and Theo the man who had crawled so far under her skin there was no way to shake him.
So being in the clutches of 'The children of Z' you knew life for Vicki was going to be bleak, she was a bargaining chip for Theo, the one that got away from the 'Mistress' an obsession bordering on madness.
This book had so many surprises, twists and turns, that emotional pull, the author definitely upped the anty in this one. My adrenaline spiked, like a yo-yo I was put through the paces, the angsty stabby fueled moments, the emotional losses, the yell of yes when one was obliterated. And honestly I can't wait for more. I am ready..
☀︎𝐖E D𝐎N'T P𝐋A𝐘 𝐖I𝐓H F𝐈R𝐄 ☀︎ Is the third full length zombie book in the (Babysitter of the apocalypse) series by author Courtney Konstantin.
📚'𝙼𝚈 𝚁𝙴𝚅𝙸𝙴𝚆 𝙰𝙽𝙳 𝙾𝚃𝙷𝙴𝚁𝚂'📚 can also be found on my blog:
╰┈➤KITTY KATS CRAZY ABOUT BOOKS
As soon as this arc hit my inbox, over the weekend I sat down and re-read the series back to back, no distractions, loving this world even more the second time around.
I've only been reading this genre for the last few years, needing an escape from my usual go to genres as they weren't hitting the unique scale I seeked. And this genre hit those boxes like never before.
So when doing a search after I fell down that zombie rabbit hole, this author was highly recommended by a vast following, so the first book I jumped into of hers was 'Prepared' and from that book on I was a goner. I loved that series and fast became a fan so it was a no brainer to read this series which was inhaled and quickly solidified why I will read anything she writes.
After falling down that cliffy in the previous book, I couldn't wait for more, Vicki had made a huge sacrifice to save the two girls she had come to love, and Theo the man who had crawled so far under her skin there was no way to shake him.
So being in the clutches of 'The children of Z' you knew life for Vicki was going to be bleak, she was a bargaining chip for Theo, the one that got away from the 'Mistress' an obsession bordering on madness.
This book had so many surprises, twists and turns, that emotional pull, the author definitely upped the anty in this one. My adrenaline spiked, like a yo-yo I was put through the paces, the angsty stabby fueled moments, the emotional losses, the yell of yes when one was obliterated. And honestly I can't wait for more. I am ready..
September 21, 2026
★★★★
I liked this one overall. The premise continues to be interesting, but I think Vicki's growth is probably my favorite part of the book. She's changed a lot since the beginning of the series, and considering everything she's been through, that growth feels earned. I still don't love Theo, and Gabby continues to be the perfect annoying, know-it-all kid. She can be completely exasperating, but honestly, that's also what makes her believable.
Where I struggled was with some of the crossover characters. I was excited to see Max and Rafe again because I really enjoyed the Sundown series, but they didn't quite feel like the same characters to me, especially Max. Maybe that's intentional after everything they've been through and lost, but there were several moments where her reactions and choices just didn't fit with the Max I remembered. That was probably the hardest part of the book for me to reconcile.
There were things I really enjoyed and things that didn't completely work for me, but it kept me reading and I wanted to know how everything played out. Overall, a solid four stars for me.
I liked this one overall. The premise continues to be interesting, but I think Vicki's growth is probably my favorite part of the book. She's changed a lot since the beginning of the series, and considering everything she's been through, that growth feels earned. I still don't love Theo, and Gabby continues to be the perfect annoying, know-it-all kid. She can be completely exasperating, but honestly, that's also what makes her believable.
Where I struggled was with some of the crossover characters. I was excited to see Max and Rafe again because I really enjoyed the Sundown series, but they didn't quite feel like the same characters to me, especially Max. Maybe that's intentional after everything they've been through and lost, but there were several moments where her reactions and choices just didn't fit with the Max I remembered. That was probably the hardest part of the book for me to reconcile.
There were things I really enjoyed and things that didn't completely work for me, but it kept me reading and I wanted to know how everything played out. Overall, a solid four stars for me.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I absolutely loved The Babysitter of the Apocalypse book 3 We Don’t Play with Fire! This was such a fun read, and I honestly didn’t want it to end!
The characters are just amazing, The story sucks you in from the beginning. And the surprise characters that popped up made me so happy, and made the story even more entertaining.
Courtney Konstantin did a fantastic job creating a world that was exciting, emotional, and full of moments that kept me turning the pages. If you like post-apocalyptic zombie stories with great characters, action, found family, love, and a few fun surprises, definitely give this one a read.
This was easily a 5 star book for me, I can’t wait to see what happens next.
The characters are just amazing, The story sucks you in from the beginning. And the surprise characters that popped up made me so happy, and made the story even more entertaining.
Courtney Konstantin did a fantastic job creating a world that was exciting, emotional, and full of moments that kept me turning the pages. If you like post-apocalyptic zombie stories with great characters, action, found family, love, and a few fun surprises, definitely give this one a read.
This was easily a 5 star book for me, I can’t wait to see what happens next.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I received a ARC of Babysitter of the Apocalypse 3 and knew I would get sucked in!
The story for me started off a little chaotic and disjointed for me (but I’m guessing that’s probably due to emotional distress Theo is going through). I found the book to be heart pumping for majority of the time with some real struggles Vicki faced about her situation. The representation of what it feels like to be under the thumb of someone but not is jarring and I found myself thinking similar to Vicki. Overall I think it was great however the first couple chapters were a struggle for me with the flow and thought stream.
The story for me started off a little chaotic and disjointed for me (but I’m guessing that’s probably due to emotional distress Theo is going through). I found the book to be heart pumping for majority of the time with some real struggles Vicki faced about her situation. The representation of what it feels like to be under the thumb of someone but not is jarring and I found myself thinking similar to Vicki. Overall I think it was great however the first couple chapters were a struggle for me with the flow and thought stream.
October 21, 2026
Vickie’s Word’s of Wisdom
Vickie traded herself for her child’s safety. Now she must survive a cult to keep her family safe. Theo has finally found a safe place for the girl’s so he can rescue Vickie! Who better to join the rescue efforts than Rafe and Max Duncan! Rafe and Max grew up in a different environment than most people. Their dad was a prepper and survivalist that knew that after the collapse of society people would have to work together and have skills to rebuild society. These siblings are a dynamic duo and it’s a readers joy to see them back in action and teaming up with Theo.
Vickie traded herself for her child’s safety. Now she must survive a cult to keep her family safe. Theo has finally found a safe place for the girl’s so he can rescue Vickie! Who better to join the rescue efforts than Rafe and Max Duncan! Rafe and Max grew up in a different environment than most people. Their dad was a prepper and survivalist that knew that after the collapse of society people would have to work together and have skills to rebuild society. These siblings are a dynamic duo and it’s a readers joy to see them back in action and teaming up with Theo.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This was an easy five stars for me. I love post-apocalyptic books. This book continues where book two ended.
I don’t want to give anything away, but the author is talented at making the story believable. Vicki and Theo are ordinary people who are just trying to survive.
Vicki’s determination, strength, and resilience are what make her a great character! Theo is steadfast, resourceful, and kind. They complement each other so well.
The story kept me turning the pages. It was, in my opinion, gripping, and I needed to know what was going to happen next!
I don’t want to give anything away, but the author is talented at making the story believable. Vicki and Theo are ordinary people who are just trying to survive.
Vicki’s determination, strength, and resilience are what make her a great character! Theo is steadfast, resourceful, and kind. They complement each other so well.
The story kept me turning the pages. It was, in my opinion, gripping, and I needed to know what was going to happen next!
Review of advance copy received from Author
I love this series and the 3rd book did not disappoint!
Vicki and her little family have been met with so many challenges and I can tell there are more to come.
The family is torn apart and put back together in its ever-changing form, but love leads the way - always.
There were surprises, but the one thing that did NOT surprise me was how readable the book is.
Definitely for you, if you're a fan of the zombie apocalypse!
Vicki and her little family have been met with so many challenges and I can tell there are more to come.
The family is torn apart and put back together in its ever-changing form, but love leads the way - always.
There were surprises, but the one thing that did NOT surprise me was how readable the book is.
Definitely for you, if you're a fan of the zombie apocalypse!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Now I am the first to admit when a book is not to my taste. I have stated when a popular book in a more niche genre like zombies is not good. This is not only good it’s a heart pounder. The characters are well fleshed out and interesting. The action and the feelings settle deep in the bones and give me that giddy feeling that only great books can. The stomachs churning vibrating teeth chattering giggling happiness. If your looking for that this book and this series is for you!
Review of advance copy received from Author
This was a great ending to this series. First be sure that you have finished the Sundown series before reading! Now I love how Courtney was able to capture Vicki’s struggle with her capture and relationships with Crow and The Mistress. Theo became the person he needed to be without losing himself. And I can’t wait to see what else Courtney has in store for Vicki and Theo.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Wow! The third book in the Babysitter of the Apocalypse was another page turner. Book 3 picks up where book 2 left off and it is full of action. We even get to see some old friends, which was a happy surprise. Definitely recommend. Courtney is a great storyteller with really relatable (specially Vicki) characters.
September 11, 2026
Can’t wait for book 4!
It was great to see the Duncans again. I love the characters and the storyline. Support the author’s books and make sure you leave your reviews.
Thank you for using Kindle Unlimited.
It was great to see the Duncans again. I love the characters and the storyline. Support the author’s books and make sure you leave your reviews.
Thank you for using Kindle Unlimited.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Great read. I’ve been so looking forward to this story. Lots of action and suspense. Vicki’s little family is awesome.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This series gets better with each book, and this one will have you on the edge of your seat, sweating.
September 2, 2026
I received an advanced copy of this book from the author.
I loved it! This series is so well written and the characters are so very well developed! If you love Zombie Books these are for you!
I loved it! This series is so well written and the characters are so very well developed! If you love Zombie Books these are for you!
October 7, 2026
I loved the other books this I hated hated hated
November 1, 2026
Awesome
Was so ex cited when this finally came out..loved the first two and loved this one too. Kind of tired of women being beat up all the time..
Was so ex cited when this finally came out..loved the first two and loved this one too. Kind of tired of women being beat up all the time..
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews