Survival. Sometimes it isn't about a dramatic fight to the death in a deadly arena that is being controlled by sadistic morons who want to create some good TV. Sometimes it isn't about demons and monsters and all those things that go bump in the night and are secretly trying to drag you off to some hellish dimension. Sometimes the biggest threat to survival is a lack of that which so many of us take for granted. If you pictured the end of the world as a loud affair, full of guns, bombs or falle More...

My official comments:

Deftly written, Mindy McGinnis's NOT A DROP TO DRINK is a frightening picture of a potential future without fresh water, which left me ridiculously grateful for my working faucet. This post-apocalyptic survival tale is about so much more than just survival. I loved it.

My unofficial comments:

This book.

Be ready for it.

Super excited to read the final version of this book. Mindy is fresh, snappy, and unexpected in her writing. She keeps you locked into the story with great characters, interesting turn of events, clever dialogue and a solid narrative that is sure to make her one of the greats in YA fiction. Reserve your copy early (I know I will) for 2013!

I haven't read it yet but I will for sure. I'll have to talk to Mrs. McGinnis at school about it. Sounds cool!

Woohoo!! I won the swag pack of this on Once Upon A Bookcase
Just need to get the book!!

Not a Drop to Drink by Mindy McGinnis
Katherine Tegen Books/Harper Collins
9780062198523

A teen read that has very adult topics and appeal. I hestitate to call this a dystopian or post-apocolyptic novel (though it clearly is) because it is so much more. It is a story of survival, of self-imposed isolation, and the powerful desire to protect the one thing that matters, the one life-giving essential - water. A brutal and unflinching look at life lived outside the guiding hand of a civil authority, wh More...

Have you ever gone through a drought? Maybe had your community pass around 'drought preparedness' fliers, or had to face fines for not following a watering schedule? I have and I found it really very ulcer inducing. I remember reading about when Georgia had a really bad one several years ago that had the water shut off for certain hours, and people with a set number of gallons to use a day; I remember being so thankful that I had never been through a drought. Last summer wasn't the first drough More...

This was an interesting read. I appreciated the setting and circumstances of NOT A DROP, and I adored Lynn, the main character. She is the personification of a survivalist, doing whatever necessary to protect her pond and the people she loves. I will always have a serious soft-spot for a kickass female protag. Her voice was also compelling, which is an impressive feat as the book is written in third-person past.

But I did have an issue with the tense. The narrative felt slow in places, and I thi More...

The title is what drew me to this book. The title “Not A Drop To Drink” led me to believe that this would be a creepy, survival story and so I was immediately drawn in. The cover is gorgeous. A lone barn with a pond in a dark atmosphere…hmmm.. Veryyy interesting…

So the story begins “Lynn was nine the first time she killed to defend the pond”

…UM YEAH!!! Hello Hunger Games! Lynn and her Mother are lone survivors on a small piece of land with one of the only watering ponds left and their entire e More...

If this book looks at all intriguing to you, or you're a big fan of dystopian, you're going to love NOT A DROP TO DRINK.

The title is pretty descriptive of the world that Lynn lives in. The world is struggling for water, and the beginning chapters describe the pond that her and her mother live near (and protect) because it's their only water source. Mindy McGinnis takes no time at all to get to the gritty details of living in conditions like this, and as a reader you're instantly engulfed in this More...

4.5 stars! This book ... My heart...

If you're going into this book expecting it to be an easy read, turn around now. Not A Drop to Drink is filled with drama, suspense, violence and things that will have you cringing. But the entire time I was reading, it never felt overdone or fake... it felt completely real to me.

This is ultimately Lynn's story, (told in third person). Her struggle to survive when pitting all the odds against her. I'm going to tag everything spoiler from here on down, just i More...

A beautiful and brutal tale of a future world where fresh water is scarce. Lynn is a bad-ass girl with a gun and not afraid to use it. I loved her dry, understated sense of humor and the simple yet elegant prose. Also, this book make me want to bulk up on my emergency preparedness. Water barrels and firewood, friends! Oh yeah, and a gun.

The summary reminds me of Blood Red Road, which is one of my absolute favorite books, so I have a feeling I'm going to like this one as well.

Also: publisher of Divergent is publishing this! Hopefully that bodes well..

This book sounds way good. i have'nt read it just yet, but i dont even care. it's got that really good book vibe you get from just the summery. great work Mrs. McGinnis!

I was lucky enough to receive an advance copy of this book, and I can't wait until everyone else gets to read it too. I've read a lot of dystopian literature, and I have to say that what makes this one stand out is how realistic it feels. It's an eerie look of a world that is not too far removed away from our own. A world where water is scarce and people will do what they have to in order to live. McGinnis creates tough, brave characters who not only want to survive in this world but also love. More...

Read the author's query letter on YA Highway and dang, this book sounds amazing. I can't wait to read it.

I think the main reason I loved this story was the frontier/backwoods setting. I'm a HUGE Laura Ingalls Wilder fan, and this book sorta/kinda reminded me of all those Little House books I've read a million times (well, you know, if Laura Ingalls had been a badass, gun-toting, anti-social). Also, this is one of those books where the characters are so well developed, you actually feel like you get to know them and are therefore sad when the book is over.

Overall, I thought it was a fantastic read w More...

I do love me some post-apocalyptic ;) And this one sounds very awesome.

I can't wait for this book to come out. Looks like it is going to be good.

I read the query for this on YA Highway and now I NEED the book.

I want this! Sounds so interesting

*Recvd via Edelweiss 04/11/2013* Expected publication: September 10th 2013 by Katherine Tegen Books

This was chillingly realistic and I loved every second of it. The writing was solid, the characters interesting, and the premise well thought out. Will definitely recommend.

I will also recommend having a glass of chilled water nearby, because after reading this, you'll want one.

9.10.13

It's very disturbing to know that this book is very realistic of what our world could be like if we were short on drinking water.

Love the characters, pissed off with the author ;-), fast read, pissed off with the author, kick butt heroine, and pissed off with the author. The author that wrote this book was very cruel. You'll see why when you read it. Obviously I'm pissed off.

Review to come closer to the release.

I received this as part of an ARC tour and I'm SO glad I did. Not A Drop To Drink is so different from other books I've read and very well done. It felt like a mix between a historical and a dystopian at the same time which I've never seen before. The characters were subtle and compelling, the storyline powerful and gripping. Loved it!

I'm so angry, so angry *sigh* full review to come.

This book is dark, bleak, and gruesome. But holy crap is it good. Had me hooked from page 1 and I stayed up til 2am to finish. It's one that you can't really stop thinking about afterwards and is perfect as a standalone. This goes in the "favorites of the year" pile.

I haven't read the final version of this story, but I did like the one that I read. It's very much a western (even though it's set in the future) and I think YA could use more of those. I look forward to reading the published version.