Not a Drop to Drink

Written by Mindy McGinnis

Narrated by Cassandra Campbell

Fans of classic frontier survival stories, as well as readers of dystopian literature, will enjoy this futuristic story where water is worth more than gold. New York Times bestselling author Michael Grant says Not a Drop to Drink is a debut "not to be missed." With evocative, spare language and incredible drama, danger, and romance, Mindy McGinnis depicts one girl's journey in a frontierlike world not so different from our own.

Teenage Lynn has been taught to defend her pond against every threat: drought, a snowless winter, coyotes, and most important, 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. But when strangers appear, 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. . . .

For more in this gritty world, join Lynn on an epic journey to find home in the companion novel, In a Handful of Dust.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
• Release date: Sep 24, 2013
• ISBN: 9780062298843

Mindy McGinnis

Mindy McGinnis is the author of several young adult novels, including A Long Stretch of Bad Days, The Last Laugh, The Initial Insult, Heroine, The Female of the Species, and A Madness So Discreet, winner of an Edgar Award. She writes across multiple genres, including postapocalyptic, historical, thriller, contemporary, mystery, and fantasy. While her settings may change, you can always count on her books to deliver grit, truth, and an unflinching look at humanity and the world around us. Mindy lives in Ohio. You can visit her online at mindymcginnis.com.

Reviews for Not a Drop to Drink

[KirstyPurnell · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

*spoiler*

Everyone you love dies

[tjsjohanna_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Watching Lynn gain some measure of trust in humanity, despite the hardships of her life, is a rewarding journey, though there are some heartbreaking moments.

[Tripp · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I loved the beginning and middle but I hated the ending and I felt like I was going "what the f***" at least once per chapter it's a thriller. I felt like the ending just fell flat and there are a lot of unnecessary things that happen just for shock value. I still really liked it except for the last couple of chapters. there is a sequel that I haven't read but it might be better. But overall I thought most of the characters were enjoyable by at least the middle of the book and I do love this book except for the ending. the romance in this book is very light they don't kiss a lot and kissing is the "worst" that they do that's which is a big plus because it's hard to find YA fiction without a lot of romance. I think this book is suitable for 13 and up.

[Melanie Beaulieu · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I really enjoyed this book. Given the current happy state of the world (read some sarcasm here), I tend to avoid end of the world books. They’re a little too close to reality. However, the author takes an interesting approach to the subject, not a Big Bang but more a slow degradation. Her characters are tough and are realistic enough and gritty enough not to have that over-the-top superhero quality. I’ve read other books by this author and really enjoy her writing style. Looking forward to reading the sequel to this book!

[tess_w · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is billed as a YA dystopian novel. I definitely don't think it's YA, although the vocabulary might suggest it. It's a complicated story of survival following some event in which the U.S. (maybe the rest of the world?) is without water, electricity, and raging with cholera. There are deadly scavengers roaming about in search of water, food, and medicine. It's the story of Lynne who is about 16 and finds herself alone. She makes some unlikely friends: a crippled neighbor, a teenage boy, a small 5 year girl and how they survive. I was surprised by one of Lynne's comments about 3/4 of the way through the book, "I can kill in Ohio or die trying to get to California." Living in Ohio, I was surprised and then surprised even more when the town of South Bloomfield was mentioned as a small town, with only a bridge and a few brick houses. I live only about 20 miles from South Bloomfield and this is true. It is a small town, population about 1500 and it's a blinking caution light on Route 23 in Pickaway County. I'm surprised it even has a population of 1500 as there are only 3-4 houses visible. The actual "town" must include more than just the drive through. It was a good book, not necessarily great, but worth 4 stars! 325 pages.

[goorgoahead · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I love dystopian novels but it's easy to get burnt out on them -- bad worldbuilding, cliche characters, predictable plot twists, and unconvincing love interests are all things that have totally thrown me out of what should have otherwise been a story that I loved. So I understandably get a bit nervous when I pick up a new one that I've been highly anticipating. Is it going to let me down? Am I going to wind up blogging about how annoying the book was? Get burned enough times and those are the questions you start to ask yourself.

Well, I am beyond pleased to say that I loved Mindy McGinnis' Not a Drop to Drink.

I think I loved it most because it felt different from most dystopian novels. There's nothing paranormal or supernatural -- just a world running out of water, where those rich enough to pay for water are kept safe in walled-up, strictly managed cities, while everyone else has to fend for themselves. The characters aren't superheroes, or genetically modified in some way, or even particularly brilliant, they're just real people doing their best to survive. Taking away super advanced technology, zombies, or mysterious illnesses makes Not a Drop to Drink feel like a more human story, and even though its characters are often gruff and anti-social, I still feel like it's a world that I can envision happening.

The story drops us right into the middle of Lynn and Mother's world, where they have to protect the lake, their only source of water, at all costs. You gradually begin to see that Mother's a very hardened woman and that this has rubbed off on Lynn, who has interacted with very few other people in her life. They're women of few words, but they are tough and smart and capable and will mess you up if you come for their water. Oh, boy, will they mess you up.

Lynn's character arc and growth in this book is excellent and very well done. She goes from only having Mother, to having to learn to let all sorts of other people in. Including, yes, a love interest, which happens quickly but worked for me as it was just another way that showed Lynn having to learn to coexist with people other than Mother. It's rough going, and Lynn can come across as rude and callous, but solitary survival is all she's known for so long that change doesn't happen overnight. Watching her learn to take pleasure in simple things, like telling a joke or playing in the snow, is a joy to read about.

And while I don't want to spoil anything, there are some events in the story that are downright brutal that I didn't see coming. Shocking events aren't exactly anything new in books, but the things that happen here are just rough and hard to take, in the best sort of "but I was so invested in that" way. I think it's because everything here felt so real and familiar that it was easier to identify with Lynn and her isolated, rural upbringing and difficulties interacting with other humans.

I don't think this book is for everyone. For about 98% of the book, the universe is very bleak and depressing, and the characters are tough, emotionally, which could make them harder to relate to. It's more a story of survival than a non-stop action-packed adventure. I was frequently reminded of The Road, or at least the bleak atmosphere that the book is set in. This is an excellent debut novel from Mindy McGinnis and I can't wait to see what she comes up with next.

[wanderlustlover_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I love this book. Unabashedly.

It's very clear cut and to the point. It stays with the point, the character, and, very importantly, the pond. I like how little we know and how slowly (and, perhaps, very little) we grow through the book. It's very much a stuck place in space and time.

The characters are amazingly flushed out. The views of the world beyond it are tantalizing and yet not important, which is really great and rare and a brave risk to take as an author. I was insanely happy with both of the gasp-worthy surprise moments, because they weren't surprises if you were reading along right and I'm very glad for the book not pulling its punches.

I believe I only have one tiny issue with this book, but it's a passable enough one, and I can deal with only having one too easy passed reference. I'm going to give this book 5 stars, but it would have been a 4.8-4.9 for me because of it.

I am deeply invested in seeing what else Mindy puts out from here (and am very glad I got to meet her at the Austin Book Weekend before meeting her book, because I kept feeling like this amazing, snarky, sparky woman was watching me read her book with that delightful teasing smirk of hers).

I will be on the front seat the whole way for the next things to come out.

[jennybeast · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A pretty bleak dystopian, set in a world with massive water shortages. But in the end the hard-edged realities find a space of hope, not without cost. It's a fast, compelling, hard to put down read. I thought it was a stand alone, and am surprised to find a sequel.

[mutantpudding · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I liked some of the survival story stuff but the plot revolved around rape and sexual assualt far more than it needed to be and I dont think the topic was well handled. The areas that the protagonists isolation from society effected her skills and knowledge didnt always make sense which I found aggravating.

[jadedog13 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Lynn was nine the first time she killed to protect the pond, the sweet smell of water luring the man to be picked off like the barn swallows that dared to swoop in for a drink.- first sentence I couldn't wait to see how this one would end. It is the story of a young girl raised in the wilderness by her mother. In this world, water is more than scarce. The only water Lynn and her mother have comes from their pond and they will do anything to defend it. Her mother taught her not to trust anyone and to be entirely self-reliant. But how long can they survive this way? I enjoyed the wild west feel of this one. I loved Lynn and enjoyed watching her mature and adapt emotionally as the book progressed. Her life is full of struggles and the constant threat of death, but Lynn is strong and she doesn't give up. There was a devastating event towards the end that I totally didn't see coming - it was tough.

[jessika.c · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

In a futuristic world where water is scarce and tightly controlled, Lynn and her mother protect their pond with their life. The feel of a rifle in her arms is more of a comfort than her mother's arms wrapped around her ever were. With that rifle, Lynn can ensure her survival for another day. Her mother is the only person she's talked to in over a decade and the one who has taught her how to survive and she'll need those skills when strangers get closer to her pond and become more hostile and desperate to get a sip.There's something about survival stories that makes me either hate them or really love them. This one falls into the latter category. In order to survive these kinds of situations you have to have a certain willingness to accept help and learn new skills whenever possible. Being naive and stubborn isn't going to save you when you don't have the experience needed to overcome an obstacle. Lynn is a smart girl but socially awkward because of her lack of contact with people. I'm kind of relieved that she doesn't fall into the same trap her mother fell into because that would have made for a boring novel, her shooting up any person that came within a five-mile radius. Lynn could be cold but she wasn't closed off. Her mother taught her as much as she could but there were some things she was just going to have to find out on her own. It kept me engaged and I just wanted to follow along as she grew to be her own person without the influence of her mother. In case you couldn't tell, I really liked this book.

[edensteffey · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I really liked this book. I liked the changes the main girl goes through and how she grows as a character. Eli also learns to survive and Stebbs teaches Lynn as well. I liked the connection she makes with Lucy. Good book. I was a little sad at the end though.

[emma_manolis · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The world featured in Not a Drop to Drink is a world that quite honestly terrifies me. Reading the description alone made me want to put the book down, back away slowly and find something more optimistic and cheerful to read. However, my curiosity overruled my fear and I found myself reading Not a Drop to Drink. It was every bit as terrifying as I had imagined but somehow even in a world where there would seem to be very little to hope for the author managed to provide hope and entertainment.

It took me some time to get into Not a Drop to Drink. Initially I thought that it would be a female, YA version of The Road by Cormac McCarthy since it seemed to focus on only two characters, a mother and her daughter. Luckily, the author had other things in store for us. I really loved that the characters found a way to foster friendships and care for more than just themselves despite the harsh living conditions. It gives me a teeny bit of hope should something like this happen in real life.

I would recommend Not a Drop to Drink to anyone who wanted to like The Road but just didn’t. I would also recommend this to anyone who enjoys a good dystopian novel, minus the ever-present love triangle. I’m actually really looking forward to reading the companion novel!

[bookishthings · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Not a Drop to Drink is a dystopian, but it’s not like others in it’s genre. Instead of trying to make the world different, it’s very much about survival.

Mindy McGinnis creates characters that make you want things to be better for them. They don’t know anything besides death and trying to protect what is theirs. Lynn doesn’t know anything different than making sure the water supply doesn’t dwindle. She doesn’t know how to react with anyone besides her Mom. Lynn’s mom is a very stark character. She tells it how it is, and doesn’t sugar coat anything at all. She wants her daughter to be strong and able to do things.

There aren’t very many places overloaded with action. That doesn’t hurt the story at all. You are focused on the things that the characters have to go through. The shortage of food and water is a possibility for them. Lynn and her mother face many obstacles. With many of these obstacles we meet new characters, but I’m going to leave it at that.

If you’re looking for a story that is heavy with romance, then this book isn’t for you. Make sure you have tissues ready for this book. Mindy McGinnis tore my heart out!

[wifilibrarian · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Water can no longer be taken for granted. Lynn, 16, lives with her Mother far away from the city. It's been years since the shortages drove them to hide away in a lonely farmhouse. She's trained Lynn to be completely ruthless killer, while quoting poetry and teaching her how to survive the unnamed apocalypse. They guard their small pond of water against wanderers, and their nearest neighbor, Stebbs, who lives across the field. Mother refers to him as asshole, but the closest she gets to him is through the scope of her rifle.Lynn begins slowly to make friends with neighbours, who had escaped recently from the city. She finds she has a conscience after allWhen Lynn quotes William Butler Yeats, and her love interest, Eli, recognizes it, my suspension of disbelief evaporated like the water in this story. It also turns out Lynn is gorgeous, but since she'd never met anyone before, she's so modest. She doesn't understand small talk or flirting. But Eli's there to teach her, and teach her that she's so good looking. Luckily he's good looking too.The book has several moments of shocking violence, that don't fit the tone of rest of the book, but make it less run of the mill, and overall more bearable. Lynn is a cold stone killer, but I'm glad she does have moments of happiness, or else this book would have been too bleak.I listened to the audiobook and it was well read by Cassandra Campbell, who voiced several distinctive characters and could believe they were different people.

[jljaina · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Where to begin? I have a lot of thoughts on this book but I am struggling putting them in order. I know I deeply enjoyed this story yet I still have so much I am wondering about at the same time. So my rating for this is actually more like 3.5 stars.

Let me start off with saying the I loved the style in which this book was written. It is rich, deep and meaningful. It drew my into the story, creating a very vivid portrayal of Lynn's life. Not many young adult novels seem to have to practical depth and maturity this book carries.

Lynn is a very impressive young woman. She has lived a harsh reality to this point in her life. It has always been just her and her mother alone. She has only briefly had contact with one other person (her neighbor Stebbs)her entire life. They manner in which they live can make farm life seem easy. Gathering and "purifying" water, gathering food, hunting, gathering wood, looting for supplies as needed. And the most important thing-scout and protect their water and land.

One fall life as Lynn knows it begins to change. She gets to know others. A girl named Lucy, a teenage boy named Eli and Lucy's mother (Neva) along with really getting to know Stebbs. I must say I think he is my favorite character. I mentally see him as a sort of uncle to her in the end. How well he takes to her showing up with Lucy was priceless.

You can quickly visualize Lynn's life and empathize with her on many levels. The reality she is stuck living is rough but it doesn't help how I can see life one day being quite similar. The current drought situations where I live do not help (haha).

Where I was confused is when this is happening? How long has life been this way. The world building left a lot to be desired. Why life was the way it was. Is the whole world like this overall? We know it has been at least 16 years for trouble. There are laws for only 1 child or they would be exiled yet Eli had an older brother. So that must have been less than those 16 years for those laws. So when where the major life turning points (such as how long since the country has water and electricity?). Lynn gets some medicine that is only 5 years expired. Where did that come from being t must have been less then 16 years old? Just a lot of odd gaps. I would love to do an interview with Mindy McGinnis with all this at some point. I guess I will simply hope the next book will explain this all better.

While the lack of world building was frustrating, the life Lynn lives is captivating in a worrisome way. I still found her life riveting. The only other thing that bothered me was how easily she adapted to all these new people in her life. It doesn't add up.

This is a mature young adult. There is language, mentioning of rapes, death, and harsh survival. Great for older teens and adults. I see lots of potential for Mindy McGinnis' future works!

[agarcia85257 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Not A Drop To Drink by Mindy McGinnis is one of those novels that you wished had gone through one more review by the author to clean up the writing a little more but you are really happy it didn't because this story is too well told to have to wait anymore for it. Story dammit. Story! If you have a good story then much else is forgiven and Not a Drop to Drink is one of the better apocalyptic, dystopian tales to come along in some time.Lynn and her mother lie upon the roof of their rural Ohio home, rifles at the ready, protecting with deadly force against anything that threaten them or their pond. Water. Fresh drinking water. Lynn was willing and had killed for it."..All over the globe, he said, people was running out of water and the news, they was putting a different spin on it, so we wouldn't know what was going on. All the violence in third-world countries was over water, he said, but they kept telling us stories about tribal wars and religion to keep us distracted, and them poor countries didn't have a way of telling people any different. Pretty soon, he claimed, the east would be going down. There was too many people over there and not enough water. Then we'd be next. He said the whole environmental movement had shit-all to do with caring about the planet and everything to do with people giving their money to green programs so that desalinization plants could be built for the rich people to survive the coming shortage. It got so bad with him talking about the freshwater shortage that people started avoiding him out of just plain annoyance along with fear. Nobody took his serious until the Aswan Dam was blown up..."A tragic accident takes her mother's life and Lynn is left alone to defend herself and her pond. She befriends her neighbor Stebbs and a small runaway family in the forest and together they make it through the next winter. But they know that soon danger will come. The great cities are gone and water, any water, even as small as Lynn's pond will being people to them. There is smoke on the horizon and Lynn knows that its from men who don't ask to drink or share, these men take and it won't just be her water they will want.Not a Drop to Drink starts off powerfully and you know from the first line that goes:"...Lynn was nine the first time she killed to defend the pond, the sweet smell of water luring the man to be picked off like the barn swallows that dared to swoop in for a drink..."It sets the tone for a bleak and despairing novel to come. Its about survival. About loss and the absence of hope. In this world Lynn shines. She knows little about the world that was. She was raised after the water ran out and what she knows of the disease that ravaged the land comes from books. Those and her mother are the only links she has to the world beyond her forest. When her mother dies, Lynn is left to learn to trust others and understand the world beyond her forest. The world that is daring to come into hers and take what it wants. What she learns of the people and the cities they left behind gives her a lasting and dark impression of the world of mankind and her own past.McGinnis is not a great writer, not yet and I haven't read the sequel yet so maybe the writing gets better. But she can tell a story and this is one hell of a story. One part western frontier survival and one part end of the world and forget zombies because people themselves are the worst thing s to fear. McGinnis brings this all to light and shines it heavily on the best and worst parts of mankind.Not a Drop to Drink does not flinch. It is stark and unnerving and above all else, a damn good story.

[justablondemoment · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

So far this reading year this is by far my favorite book. It just gripped me in a way that a book hasn't done in a long time. These types of books can sometimes get pretty complex what with all the world building and stuff. this book was just pretty straight forward with out the fluff sometimes used. i LOVED it. Can't wait for the next one

[mirandalg14 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

3.5 stars. It seemed that a lot of horrible things happened without a lot of good to balance it, but it was decently written, and I'm hoping the other books tie it all together. Not the best post-apocalyptic book I've read, but I still mostly liked it.

[wiseyoungfools · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Not a Drop to Drink is an excellent book that stands alone, though a sequel is in the works. The story takes place after most of the Earth's drinkable water has disappeared one way or another. The main character, Lynn, is a sheltered teenage girl who has only really spoken to her mother up until strangers start moving in on them from all directions. The narrative of the book flows very well, and the narrative is compelling. The author, Mindy McGinnis, clearly did her research and the dangers presented in the book seem very real as they are encountered. This title reminds me of "Z for Zachariah," by Robert C. O'Brien, as the main threat that looms over the characters is that of simply surviving.

[ed321-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I started reading this book and could not put it down read it in one sitting. I loved this book. Characters, PLOT MINDY MCGINNIS hit the ball out of the park. Can't wait for the next book. Highly recommend.

[magatha_6 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is a hard-edged YA novel about a brutal post-apocalyptic world. It's set in a mostly depopulated rural area of Ohio, where Lynn and her mother spend their days working hard to subsist and survive.Here's the thing about YA fiction: because it's about young adults, the story must involve the crucial transition from life within one's family of origin to a turning outward into the world. In normal times, this is a time fraught with weirdness, pain, excitement, and uncertainty. In a dystopian or post-apocalyptic tale, all of that is intensified and accompanied by mortal danger and an utter lack of plan-enabling precedent.But these are still young adults, looking outward and seeking not only food, shelter, survival, but also connection to others. The drive toward intimacy is where YA post-apocalyptic fic often gets hung up. I get mightily tired of reading awkwardly insinuated episodes of flirtation, attraction, and fluttery romantic impulses alongside scenes of bleak or violent efforts to survive.So when I read a book like Not A Drop To Drink, I'm impressed. McGinnis manages to convey this natural transition during an extreme time without resorting to a kind of anachronistic romantic fluffiness. She recognizes, too, that it's not just about intimacy, but also community. The world may go to hell, but if you don't get killed, you grow up, and you grow up in a world where "happily ever after" has totally lost its former meaning. This is not an easy book. It's filled with violence and hard choices, but it's not without tenderness, hope, and ultimately humanity.

[mcelhra · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I thought this book was a great offering in the wide, wide world of YA dystopian fiction. One thing that made it unique in terms of the dystopian YA books that I’ve read is that I could easily imagine a water shortage like this happening at some point in the future. Maybe even in the not-so-distant future.I would have liked to see more world building in this book. It’s never really explained what caused the water shortage. Also, there is some talk of a city – I would have liked the author to have delved more into what the city was like and more of its rules for the people who lived there. What would be fantastic is if Ms. McGinnis wrote a prequel about the lives of some people from the city that Lynn encounters. (If you read the book, you’ll know which characters to which I’m referring.)I liked how well developed the characters were – no one seemed like a stereotype. Lynn was the tough girl but she had depth as well. And I loved that she was stronger and more capable than some of the men in the story.I’m looking forward to reading whatever Ms. McGinnis comes up with next.

[beverlyjean-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Water is precious. Without water they say a person can live for only 3 to 10 days. Have you ever thought of what you would do if your supply of water suddenly was gone? No? Maybe you ought to, because it could happen. NOT A DROP TO DRINK, the YA debut novel of Author Mindy McGinnis, deals with protecting the water supply of sixteen-year-old Lynn and her mother, as well as other troubles that confront them. When Lynn’s mother is killed, Lynn is left on her own to preserve the pond in their backyard from those who would take it for their own. From the time she was nine years old Lynn has known how to kill to protect not only their water but their home, as well. Survival depends on it. Can she do it alone?The author has given each character in NOT A DROP TO DRINK a distinct personality that makes the reader care for them. Lynn has not grown up like a normal teenager. Her life has been one of survival. Death is always nearby, waiting for one mistake, for one unguarded moment. Who can Lynn trust, besides her mother? Stebbs, the old man that lives nearby, is one of my favorite characters. He does what he can for Lynn, who is fiercely independent. Then there’s little Lucy, five years old, whose story will touch your heart, and also sixteen-year-old Eli, who brings new thoughts and ideas to Lynn. NOT A DROP TO DRINK is a story of survival, family, friendship, and love. It’s also a story of hate, greed, murder, and men that strive to achieve their goals no matter the cost. Some scenes are graphic, but necessary. This is not a light read. Ms. McGinnis’ novel will haunt you as you consider the possibility that the events in her book could happen. A must read for not only YA readers, but also for adults. I highly recommend it.###

[melissarochelle_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Read on December 25, 2013Water is a necessity and in this future it's a fight to keep it. (Except apparently sixteen years after the water has been turned off you can still get coffee and hot cocoa.)It's a good book, I thought Lynn was a wonderfully developed character -- you get why she's tough and you see her grow as a character throughout the book. She makes her own logical family in her harsh reality and she will do anything and everything necessary to protect them. I think there could have been a little more explanation for this water problem -- I mean, I understand the water has been turned off except in the cities, but what about power? Why don't they have electricity?It's a quick read, with a few flaws.

[xtastethesky · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

My third book from the Dark Days selection was Not a Drop to Drink. I always love a good dystopian… and this one did not disappoint, as it’s probably the most realistic one I’ve ever read.The StoryWe follow Lynn in a future (something like 30-40 years from now) in an almost waterless world (drinking water, that is). She lives with her mother in the country, and from a very young age she’s learned that water is life, and she must defend their pond–people will want their water, and they can’t let them have it.The thing about this story is the fact that it was inspired by a documentary that Mindy McGinnis saw, and so this could be a very real future for us. That made this all the more scary (and fascinating) to read–I could potentially have been reading a version of our future in those pages.The story itself is really great. It’s raw. The end of the novel had some twists I never anticipated. For a book to have twists I didn’t at least half expect? That’s awesome.The CharactersLynn was a great character. Her growth was a new kind of “coming of age” story. Where all her life she’s known violence and killing to survive. In this story you get to watch her become more “human,” in a sense. She learns to trust and help others. Your heart breaks for her, but at the same time you’re proud of how strong she is. By the end of the novel she’s almost a completely different person.Lucy is just adorable. She’s the one that plays a role in really helping Lynn grow. She teaches her compassion patience, and trust, and ultimately just how to care for another human being. You end up loving this little girl–she does so much for Lynn on a personal level. Making her think, making her ask questions before shooting on sight. I just loved her.Stebbs was probably my favorite character. I wanted to know so much more about him. You learn about his history as the story moves forward. He’s another character that plays a huge influence in Lynn’s life. He ends up half taking a paternal role in her life, also making her grow, helping her learn how to be compassionate.Ultimately I loved all the characters in this novel. There was a lot of diversity when it came to personalities, giving the reader the opportunity to see the different ways people would change and react to a water shortage–to an apocalyptic-ish future.In the end……this was an amazing story. The characters felt real, and their actions were believable. The story itself shows real growth in Lynn in a very unique “coming of age” story. The pacing of the novel was great, though at times it may feel a little slow or repetitive–it’s a lot of waking up and doing the chores, but I felt like that was necessary. It really set the tone for the novel, allowing the reader to feel like they were right there with the characters, living day-to-day. I’d hand this book to anyone looking for a great read. The writing is great, the characters are wonderful, and the story is completely engrossing. If you’re looking for a slightly different kind of dystopian novel, this one is definitely for you.

[pnh002 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

*MY THOUGHTS* When I first heard of this book, I was put off of by the title of it. An entire book about having no water? But then I realized what that would mean if it were to ever happen... Death to humans, plants, and animals alike, and this story became a lot more interesting and I needed to know what would happen. Something I will say, McGinnis is not afraid to give her readers the FEELS. They were all over the place in this book. From heart stopping moments to awwww moments. It was full of them. I would love to explain, but I can't for fear of spoilers. Just be prepared if you're planning on reading this sometime soon. One thing I did think it was lacking was adventure. I wanted the villain to appear a little more just to make them fight more. Had the events in the end of the novel been spread sporadically through out it, I would have rated this 5 stars. But for the most part I was a little bored. There were times when I was like O_O but then nothing like that what happen again for a bunch more pages. As for the characters. I liked them and the writing because they fit together so well. I couldn't really connect with Lynn, but I felt that was because she had a hard exterior due to the situation she was in. And the writing flowed so nicely, ironic in a world where water doesn't anymore. I just wish I could have been given a clearer picture of the world surrounding them. I'm a huge fan of world building (which is why I'm not a huge fan of dystopians... I haven't found one I just LOVE yet.) and while McGinnis gives us a glimpse in the beginning and then again when winter starts, I was still left wanting more. In short, this was a good dystopian to help me start expanding my horizon It had a solid romance and some thrills that I didn't see coming. This was a solid debut that gave me all the feels! I can't wait to see what else McGinnis has up her sleeve.

[bonniemarjorie · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Seeing that my one of my favorite genres is dystopian/post-apocalyptic, this was high on my expectations list. Post-apocalyptic became super popular in recent years and practically all the ways the world could possibly come to an end have been covered. A world where the water has been contaminated and clean water is a precious commodity? I had yet to read a book covering that so I eagerly awaited this one.The story starts off strong, introducing Lynn and her mother, a duo that has learned to survive on their own in the harsh world. For years it's just been the two of them protecting the pond that gives them the only hope of living to see another day. The day to day accounting of the daily tasks they performed in order to survive were detailed and authentic. As the book progresses, we're given vague details regarding how the world came to be and while it was enough to paint an adequate picture it wasn't sufficient enough to appease my curiosity of this harsh world.The writing is bleak and subtle, but albeit fitting. It properly depicts a world that we could only dream of; a world where turning on your faucet to get water is no longer a reality. Lynn is the definition of strength and is willing and able to do whatever needs to be done to protect the pond. She reminded me of the character Ree from Winter's Bone by Daniel Woodrell, another literary figure that was burdened with great responsibility at a young age. Lynn grew up solely with her mother, only seeing glimpses of a single neighbor, and seeing any others through the cross-hairs of her rifle before she took them down. There was no guilt or remorse for those acts, she was simply doing what needed to be done to secure her own personal survival. She was a solid character during the first 1/3 or so of the novel but I had issue with how she changed as the book progressed. Without giving too many details as most are potential spoilers, more characters are introduced and a romance even develops. Considering the ways that Lynn was raised, being completely unaccustomed to social skills or people in general, the fact that a romance was introduced seemed too far fetched. Personally I felt that her willingness to let people into her life and building trust was difficult enough to incorporate into what we already knew of her as a character, but a romance was simply unnecessary.Books that I feel are most similar are: Ashfall, The Road, and Orleans so if you're fans of those you should consider checking this out. If you're looking for an action-packed adventure, this isn't it. Not a Drop to Drink is a story that slowly builds with intensity and is predominantly a story of surviving in a harsh and grim world.

[mountie9_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The Good Stuff Fast paced, non-stop action. Perfect for the reluctant reader Fabulous character development in terms of Lynn, as I really, really didn't like her at first and she slowly grows into someone more human. Brilliantly done Man Lynn's mom is one tough bitch - not sure I would want her as my mom, but damn that women would keep me alive Loved the relationship and especially the dialogue between Lynn and Stebb A book that both male and female readers will enjoy Strong women Realistic dystopian setting - totally believable Dark Wonderful world building and author does a fabulous job at setting the mood and landscape - it felt oh so real Fans of Blood Red Road will enjoy Even though the world is bleak the story still leaves you with an essence of hope Loved Stebb's - he gives the story the lighter and softer moments it needsThe Not So Good Stuff Lynn and her mom come across as very hard at first and may turn off some readers Wanted more about how the world came to be this wayFavorite Quotes/Passages"The countryside was resplendent with colour, the sky a bright blue. The breeze shifted the grass around her, wafting the faintly spicy scent of green leaves turning brown into her face. But Lynn's eyes saw only usefulness in these small miracles. The fading greens and yellows allowed her brown coveralls to blend nicely with the surroundings; the unclouded sky gave a little more warmth to the earth.""Your mom taught you a lot, but she couldn't've taught you what she didn't know, like how to take a joke.""There's different ways of doing things wrong, Lynn, and not all of it is choosing to hurt others. Sometimes it's the things you don't do that make you feel the worst."4 Dewey'sI received this at the HarperCollins Indigo Insiders Event and wasn't required to write a review, but you know, I just cannot help myself I have to tell you what I think

[nbmars · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

If you ever lack subjects about which to worry, you can always google “world water crisis”. You will find out that diseases from unsafe water kill more people every year than all forms of violence, including war. (Indeed, wars in the dryer regions of the world are often fought over access to rivers and dams.) You will learn here that more than 3.4 million people a year die of water, sanitation, and hygiene-related causes. Nearly all deaths, 99 percent, occur in the developing world.But in this story, the crisis has reached the United States, and because access to fresh, purified water means life or death, the world has turned into a dangerous, cut-throat game of survival fought not only among people, but among the animals who are also desperate for water. The population has been depleted because of diseases caused by dirty water, like cholera. Access to antibiotics has also been imperiled; demand has outstripped supply, and there are no longer enough people to develop and produce the drugs. The primary way to obtain them is to forage through abandoned houses and hope one finds bottles of expired prescriptions. Lynn, 16 and her mother Lauren live in an isolated area by a pond, which they take turns guarding day and night. They purify the pond water by methods Lauren learned from an old National Geographic, relying on sunlight. They have had to kill a number of poachers who have threatened their hold on the pond. Lynn’s mother has taught her a hardened, cynical view of other people, and it is not until her mother is killed that she is forced to interact with some of these people herself, and learn how best to survive in a world in which trust may be the most scarce resource of all.Evaluation: There have been a few post-apocalyptic books centered on the theme of water shortage, but not many of them have succeeded. [One of them that did work was Blood Red Road by Moira Young. That book, however, had extensive world-building, including a much more sophisticated portrayal of what a water-depleted environment would look like, and a saga-like plot that grabbed you from the very beginning.] This book is not bad, but is, in my opinion, a somewhat unexceptional addition to the vast storehouse of books in this genre.