As a simple disclaimer: “This book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary review.”
That said, the story itself is nice and solid. I think the human element is especially well shown in many parts. The writing is solid and the narration is excellent. Nicely selected narrator for the story. Multiple perspectives and story lines make it versatile and entertaining,
I love the concepts of an EMP apocalypse. With our current world as reliant as it has become on technology, it can be a frightening prospect to lose all electricity.
Spoilers below
The good: Good cast of characters and nobody is invincible just to keep the story feeling safe. Having Maddie and Emma together was a nice combination. The junkie brothers were probably the most believable and interesting characters for me.
The bad: The government side story was too shallow because there wasn’t much of it. I’m hoping this will be more involved in the second book. Emma seemed to forget a bit quickly about her parents, her story needs more attention.
The middle: Some of the human element I would have enjoyed added in more would be the feeling lost at the loss of all communications and technology. A few conveniences were given at times, but were allowable overall.
I will likely read the rest of the series to see how the author and tale evolve.