Edge of Collapse, by Kyla Stone, is… Certainly a book.

The premise of the book is that an EMP wipes out all electrical systems, internet, vehicles and power in the USA causing widespread chaos and an apocalyptic setting. The MC, Hannah, escapes a captor (in like chapter 1) where she's been a slave for five years. She wants to survive and find her own family.

The premise hooked me. I adore survival and post apoc settings so this was gonna be great. And it takes place in Michigan, a state I've spent a lot of time in. But I flagged and eventually DNFd at about 70% of the way through.

One problem with the book is the writing style. It's so utterly plain. So pop fiction sounding? Like, I don't read much pop fiction best seller stuff, but this book feels very much like that. Written in cliches. One person says "It's colder than a witches tit in a brass bra. And I ain't got no bra." and that kind of cliche just keeps constantly coming.

Some of the climax scenes are just way too wordy. There's a heightened moment of action when the villain does the monologue before you kill the MC thing. Just talks and talks and talks forever. I'm trying to avoid spoilers, but there are so many moments that annoyed me.

And the whole dynamic between the two good guys feels very… Romance novelesque? Like, this books Male hero is exactly what I imagine a cliche version of a big strapping but quietly tortured gentle handsome soldier female fantasy would be.

I so deeply wanted to enjoy this book but the premise and story can't escape a tired writing style and poor pacing. With some better editing it could have been great.