Not a Drop to Drink by Mindy McGinnis

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.

Buy the book:  Amazon
Buy the Audio:  Audible
Print Length: 320 pages
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books (September 24, 2013) & Harper Audio
Sold by: HarperCollins Publishers


This post-apocalyptic book was different than anything I have read before.  Take the Wild West, throw it into a disturbing future where everyone will kill over a glass of water, add a couple of kick-butt women, and you have Not a Drop to Drink. 

This was a Hard book.  Not hard to read, the writing was great, but hard to swallow.  Reading about Lynn's life, knowing that a simple knock on the door could mean the end of her life, or something equally horrifying, isn't something you can do without thinking about our own future.  What if our water did run out?  What would we do?  Would we turn as bitter and cruel as Lynn's mother did?  Never giving anyone a chance to get close for fear of what they'll do to you or your child?

As tough as this book was, I have to say I really enjoyed reading it.  Unlike many other post-apocalyptics, this future seemed very real to me.  Maybe because it did kind-of mimic the past.  I can see people behaving this way, because they have behaved this way.  People doing anything to take advantage of others, or to keep people away from what's theirs.  It could get very disheartening.  However, there is also good, even in the hard times, and I think that's what made this book so good.

When Lynn finally begins to let people in, the world seemed to go from hopeless to hopeful.  Fighting to survive with other people that you can count on makes all the difference, and I loved seeing Lynn change from a closed-minded, and in many ways, innocent girl, into what she became. 

This book has a slower pace, which may leave some wanting more, but I thought the pacing was perfect and really added to the feel of the story.  That's not to say there wasn't any action!  With the constant fear of thieves, coyotes, and basic survival, there was always something deadly looming on the horizon. 

If you haven't picked this one up yet, I definitely recommend it.  If you like audiobooks, this one is really good on audio too.  The reader, Cassandra Campbell, helps to set the tone for the desolate world that Lynn lives in.

Book Doppelganger:  Blood Red Road by Moira Young