Regret was for people with nothing to defend, people who had no water.

Lynn knows every threat to her pond: drought, a snowless winter, coyotes, and, most importantly, people looking for a drink. She makes sure anyone who comes near the pond leaves thirsty, or doesn’t leave at all.

Confident in her own abilities, Lynn has no use for the world beyond the nearby fields and forest. Having a life means dedicating it to survival, and the constant work of gathering wood and water. Having a pond requires the fortitude to protect it, something Mother taught her well during their quiet hours on the rooftop, rifles in hand.

But wisps of smoke on the horizon mean one thing: strangers. The mysterious footprints by the pond, nighttime threats, and gunshots make it all too clear Lynn has exactly what they want, and they won’t stop until they get it….

With evocative, spare language and incredible drama, danger, and romance, debut author Mindy McGinnis depicts one girl’s journey in a barren world not so different than our own. (Cover and synopsis from Goodreads.)

A Unique Read…

Although I was reminded of a few other stories while reading Not a Drop to Drink, it does seem to stand apart from most other YA books.  It’s a story of survival in a bleak future, but is kind of akin to survival stories of our country’s past.  I was pulled into the story right from the beginning, and I got so immersed in it that I found myself being suspicious of a man walking down my street one day.  You know a book is a good one when you start to feel like its story is actually going on in your own world.  And this book really made me want to read some survival guides, because I don’t know that I would be able to last long in this kind of world.

I really loved the twists in Not a Drop to Drink, even though most of them weren’t all warm and fuzzy.  And I really enjoyed all of the characters, especially Lucy and Stebbs.  And I loved hearing how this world had evolved, and I really liked that it was explained later on in the book, rather than infodump-style in the beginning like in so many other books.  And that ending! It was definitely one to give you all the feels.  And I especially loved the epilogue, and I’m so glad to know that there will be another book set in this world!


My rating for Not a Drop to Drink by Mindy McGinnis:

Actually 4.5 stars.  Although the book’s pace was slow at times, I feel like it reflected the pace of the setting, and there were definitely some fast-paced parts that made your heart race!  A highly captivating book, and I can’t wait to get my hands on the next one.