3.2/5
Thanks NetGalley and Publishers for an e-ARC. When I applied for this book, I didn't knew it was part in EMP Lodge Series but as I read the book and saw other work of the writer I came to know about the whole series.

This is my first book by author, and I liked how simply yet deeply the author has build the world of mountains in readers mind. The story is about a destruction to be happened in Mountains and why saving the lodge is so important.
The characters are nicely described, but I couldn't connect to them much. May be because I don't know their stories from past 3 books in the Series.

Recommended to people who love Science Fiction.

This ARC had been provided courtesy of NetGalley. My sincere gratitude to Relay Publishing for making this novel available.

In this fourth of an EMP series, Grace Hamilton transported me to a lodge that was tucked away in the mountains of East Washington. Cold mountains. There, an isolated group of people pooled their resources just to survive. One day at a time. Life as they had previously known had come to a screeching halt. Chaos and terror ruled the cities.

In this heart-pounding narrative, I found Magen, the group's leader, a clear-headed pillar of strength. Without her, the group would crumble. Her rugged demeanor instilled confidence in others around her in an extremely demanding environment. At times, I felt as if I was right there learning new survival skills in the woods. Skills, however, I would never want to put to the test. I had applauded the suspenseful ending. This is one of those reads that will stick with me for quite some time.

There'd been an apocalypse. At least, in the United States. An unprecedented EMP (electromagnetic pulse) of epic proportion brought America to its knees. A total blackout that had persisted for over a year. A nightmare with no known end in sight.

On a remote mountain of eastern Washington, A group of people had taken refuge in a Lodge. Trouble they sought to escape had not eluded them. One of the group had already been killed. No more. They would fight tooth and nail if necessary to defend their position. Their lives.

One day, a shot was heard to echo through their Valley. But somehow it didn't seem to sound like a gunshot. A couple from the group went to investigate the noise from the direction where it came. It took them up the mountain. At the top, to their surprise, they discovered a dam. They had no idea they were living below it all this time. It had been months. Upon getting closer, a hole with a crack that spidered outward was discovered on the outer wall. It seemed unusual being the only one there of its kind. Worse yet, it was leaking. They returned back down the mountain with the devastating news.

With no place to go, Megan suggested the group build a dike for when, not if, the dam would collapse. They would build it with cob bricks. What they needed for the bricks was in great abundance - clay and long grass. Just like the old days. Thank you mother nature. The dam could fail tomorrow or a few months. They just needed time.

Everyone's nerves were frazzled. The dike couldn't be built fast enough. When a few of them went to survey the dam again, they discovered a stranger at the top. Approaching him, they found he had a backpack of C4 explosives. He was preparing to finish off what he had started. Bring the dam down.

They were armed. But so was he. A gunfight ensued. Although wounded, the terrorist, no longer stranger, escaped. They knew he'd be back to finish the job. Building the dike was no longer priority-one. They first had to bring this terrorist down. But would they get to him in time? Was he working alone?