Dry, by Neal Shusterman -> Restarting October 6th, 2020

[Felicia]

When the California drought escalates to catastrophic proportions, one teen is forced to make life and death decisions for her family in this harrowing story of survival,

The drought—or the Tap-Out, as everyone calls it—has been going on for a while now. Everyone’s lives have become an endless list of don’ts: don’t water the lawn, don’t fill up your pool, don’t take long showers.

Until the taps run dry.

Suddenly, Alyssa’s quiet suburban street spirals into a warzone of desperation; neighbors and families turned against each other on the hunt for water. And when her parents don’t return and her life—and the life of her brother—is threatened, Alyssa has to make impossible choices if she’s going to survive.

[Vicki]

Ch. 1-9 30% This book hits too close to home! I live in California, in the Central Valley, and as much as this book sounds like sci-fi and is labeled sci-fi, I've seen all of this or heard of it happening to a degree.

(view spoiler)[Literally people have painted their lawns to be green! Our drought lasted for several years and our water was rationed for watering days and hours. Lawns were turning brown, so people have (and still do) begun to paint grass and/or plant what I call desert yards with rocks and cactus.

Additionally, we are currently going through electricity SHUT-OFFS! Our county has had its electricity shut off, but not my house as of yet. They turn it off for up to several days and people are given notice IF possible. We've been warned to purchase generators. One of my grandson's house was affected but his mom had a generator so it was okay. (hide spoiler)]

All I'm saying is that up to this point, this book is NOT far fetched!

[❀ Crystal ✿ -]

Aww man that’s always what I find scary about some horror movies, that relatable it can happen scenario that hits too close to home. I’m both intrigued and wary lol hoping to get to this soon but as with the rest of the month I’ll probably be late 🤫

[Vicki]

I know what you mean, Crystal.

Ch. 10-20 54% (view spoiler)[Talk about hitting too close to home. I lived in Santa Ana, which is in Orange County, I grew up in Pasadena area, which is in Los Angeles County, and I lived in Modesto for years, and I still have a daughter and grandkids who live there which is only about 12 miles from me. LOL

There was one scene where the dogs were acting more wild like a pack of wild dogs, but I can see why even an animal that needs water will turn to a more wild behavior just like people do. I felt bad for the dogs. How awful to have to worry about whether to save water for your dog or give it to a person, because especially animal lovers and those who own dogs (like I do) will want to give them water to keep them alive. What an awful situation. (hide spoiler)]

[Vicki]

Ch. 21-40 (view spoiler)[It's sad to see people sell their souls, so to speak, to get just the most basic need: water. Seeing Sydney willing to bring girls to the minivan guy makes me sad and sick. But I've never had to do something horrible for survival and who knows what I'd do. (hide spoiler)]

Uncle (view spoiler)[has so many nicknames LOL Uncle Cannabis and all the herb names. It's too funny and the names are just weird. (hide spoiler)]

I gotta love (view spoiler)[Alyssa. LOL She's quick on her feet, quick to wit! I love how she got them out of the situation with the soldier who caught them with pot. (hide spoiler)]

[Vicki]

Ch. 41-End (view spoiler)[I can't imagine what they went through. The survival instinct is crazy and what it'll allow us to do when the adrenaline kicks in. But we can't always win. To be scared to death to rest but to need it desperately. "Watching" Kelton broke my heart. Alyssa was determined and I thought when she said, "...this is the true core of human nature when we've lost the strength to save ourselves we somehow find the strength to save each other" (364) that her words were spot on.

If you've been watching the news lately I assume that you know about the out-of-control fires in California and so reading the end of this book and about the fires and running from it or towards the water, I was so broken hearted when they hit the top of the hill only to find a cliff! OMG! But then they ended up with water and Kelton was alive! Alyssa is so smart! I'm glad they made it. (hide spoiler)]

[❀ Crystal ✿ -]

Hoping to start this today, was able to get it on audible so hopefully I can get a lot done listening to it at work tomorrow 😁

[❀ Crystal ✿ -]

Chapters 1-18 (view spoiler)[It’s funny cause a few years ago I read the Ashfall series and for some reason became almost obsessed about prepping and the apocalypse. Reading this book brings it all back and reminds us that while the thought of something horrible or apocalyptic happening is always a far away imagining, most people brush it aside and go about their daily life not thinking about the what if. That is until the what if happens and you find yourself unprepared and helpless to the situation. It’s horrifying especially when people have children with no way to care for them, in this case no way to provide water.
I almost worry more for Kelton and his family because while they may have been seen as the crazies, the whacks and the people living in a fantasy world, suddenly they have what everyone wants. Went people get desperate things go bad and it’s already begun to happen to their town. It’s a hard line to cross even just mentally because I get Keltons dads POV. If he helps someone by just giving them something, others will expect the same treatment and you can’t share with everyone. Not to mention should they be punished for having the foresight to prepare? It’s a really hard thing to contemplate especially while we have running water and easy access to it.
As someone who doesn’t live somewhere like Southern California the thought of water shortages has never affected my life. That doesn’t make the threat any less scary. It’s hard putting yourself in any of the characters shoes and not being on their side, thinking they all deserve things but once again, there isn’t enough. Things are already getting bad and scary, I’m almost hoping keltons parents take her and her brother in but that would make the story to easy and we still don’t know the status of her and Garret’s parents.
Dang did not mean to vent so much lol (hide spoiler)]

[❀ Crystal ✿ -]

Chapters 19 - 36
(view spoiler)[ So they are finally on their way to the bug out shelter. I wonder how Kelton's parents are. I can't believe the dad shot his brother that's insane. I can't wait to see everyone's reaction when they realize that box of Aqua Viva is only brochures and not water. (hide spoiler)]

[❀ Crystal ✿ -]

Chapters 37 - 58
(view spoiler)[ OMG how horrible to have those water bottles just burn away. I really hope Garret is ok and I'm sorry but Henry is a horrible human being smh, first lying about the water in the box then manipulating them against one another and finally he leaves them to be raped/slaughtered who knows what for a sip of water and a chance of escape. I do worry though when this is over, Kelton is going to have to deal with having killed two men. This is just so much worse because their young kids left to make all these decisions, decisions they would I'm sure gladly prefer their parents to decide upon. And OMG I cannot believe the bugout was a bust and his brother never even replenished anything smh. (hide spoiler)]

[Marissa]

Chapters 1-9 (view spoiler)[
I don't really like the approach that they took with Kelton. Shusterman x2 tried to make him seem like that weird kid next door who suddenly turned out to be really helpful and generous when the Tap-Out happens. I don't really feel like that was necessary. Why couldn't he just be the neighbor that Alyssa didn't know very well, but then got to know over the course of the book? Why did they have to make him seem like he was creepy to begin with? (hide spoiler)]

Chapters 10-20 (view spoiler)[
I am not sure I would've gotten involved in that scuffle with the boys near the beach if I was Alyssa. Now they are adding possibly another person, Jacqui, to their posse and they know nothing about her. Everything ended up okay, but what if they were wrong taking that risk? On another note, I really want to find out what happened to all the people at the beach. Where are Garrett and Alyssa's parents? Are they still alive? Also, I am sad that Kelton's brother was killed and that Uncle Herb and his girlfriend are really sick :( How could the country just abandon California? (hide spoiler)]

[Marissa]

Chapters 21-28 (view spoiler)[
I want to know more about Henry. Why does he lie about everything, did he actually live in that giant house, what is motive and why does he want to protect Alyssa and her brother? I don't trust him at all. The group is also going to be quite upset when they realize that his box of water is actually filled with paper brochures. (hide spoiler)]

Chapters 29-End (view spoiler)[
I can't believe Brady did that. I know he is dead now, but that was a really bad thing to do. What if his whole family went there as planned and then realized that they had nothing left there. All because of him. It is rather sad.

Overall, this was a so-so book. I didn't really like any of the characters, but the story was fine. However, the ending seemed
sudden and rushed. Was it explained how everyone got water again? Did it rain or were they allowed to use a reservoir? The ending was kind of a letdown. 2/5 stars. (hide spoiler)]

[Alaina]

***************************************************************
***************************************************************

RESTARTING JULY 14TH, 2020

*******************************************************************
*******************************************************************

[Alaina]

starting this now!

[Alaina]

Part 1: (view spoiler)[I mean.. I'm glad that kid did shoot the paint gun because his dad with a gun would've been horrible to everyone there. (hide spoiler)]

[Alaina]

Part 2: (view spoiler)[wow, I can't believe he died like that.. (hide spoiler)]

[Alaina]

Part 3: (view spoiler)[anyone else not a fan of Henry or is it just me? (hide spoiler)]

[Alaina]

Part 4: (view spoiler)[yeahhhh still not a fan of Henry.. (hide spoiler)]

[Alaina]

sorry zoned out and forgot to post comments!! I'm in the middle of part 5 now so all caught up

[Alaina]

Part 5: (view spoiler)[holy crap, please don't shoot! (hide spoiler)]
Finished: (view spoiler)[how the hell did Jackie make it out? did that guy splash water in both of their areas? (hide spoiler)]

[Aly]

***************************************************************
***************************************************************
RESTARTING OCTOBER 6TH, 2020

*******************************************************************
*******************************************************************

[Cindee]

Part 1: (view spoiler)[ The story is interesting so far with it starting with a normal day before quickly going to a water crisis and how many of the characters are handling it. The characters are interesting I really do like Alyssa she is a interesting character to read about her family and reading from other POVs is nice as well. I am liking the plot it is moving along nicely how something like this would make people act and everything like that. (hide spoiler)]

[Cindee]

Part 2: (view spoiler)[ Well things are getting much worse Alyssa and Garret's parents are gone Kelton's brother was killed by his Father and things have gone completely insane. The characters are still likeable some things are a bit beyond belief but I am really liking this book so far. (hide spoiler)]

[Cindee]

Part 3: (view spoiler)[ Things are not going so well parents are still missing Alyssa is mad because Kelton spied on her and will not talk to him. They keep moving to of course find many things one being their parents things really are not going well at all. (hide spoiler)]

[Cindee]

Part 4: (view spoiler)[ I am so disking the characters right now why are they so freaking DUMB. The plot is really mixed up right now things are still not going any better I think they would of been better off if they kept trying to contact their parents. There are ZERO likable characters here the more I read the more I dislike this book. (hide spoiler)]

[Cindee]

Part 5: (view spoiler)[Things are still going wrong left and right but I have stopped caring about any of the characters or anything else to do with the story. This had so much potential it did not live up to it at all. I am so done with this I am just going to finish it now. (hide spoiler)]
Finished: (view spoiler)[ Here is the lamest ending ever did not even try to tell how the tap out ended. Here is the worst book by Neal Shusterman. (hide spoiler)]