Book Review: Not A Drop To Drink by Mindy McGinnis

AUTHOR: Mindy McGinnis
PUBLISHER: Katherine Tegan
PAGES: 320
STAND ALONE/SERIES: Companion (In A handful of dust)
SOURCE: Bought
OUTLINE:
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

MY THOUGHTS

An Ashley Quirk
This has to be said first while I was reading this the jingle from the FarmersOnly commercial kept popping in my head. Have you guys seen this commercial? Ever have that happen to you where you reading a book, and you can't get a certain commercial, or something that you think pertains to the book out of your head? Maybe, it's just me.

Quick ThoughtThese type of dystopians always put me on edge a little because it deals with something precious to us. WATER. 

PACING

The first 3rd of the book (I'm guessing here) was slow and in my opinion not much happened. Setting up for the rest of the story maybe? It wasn't until one event happened that it started picking up, and we started getting more from the story like other characters, why they were guarding their pond,

Then the last 3rd of the book (again guessing here) is where the action started and things got heated up. (Not that there weren't a few other scenes where stuff wasn't heated ;p) For the most part though is was a mild pacing. 

CHARACTERS

Lynn was the MC and as much as I wanted to like her there just wasn't that connection. Don't get me wrong she wasn't a horrible character in the least bit, but I just didn't feel that friend vibe from her. Maybe it's because she was so isolated from everyone for so long. She was never really a weak character though during the story she always managed to survive, and I understand she did what she had to. That's how her mom taught her to be. #toughcookietocrack I did like how she seemed to care for this little girl.
Stebbs reminded me of the grandpa type. Just kind of there until someone needed him. #awesomeoldguy

Eli the young guy who watches over his family while they are in the woods, and then of course you know he's going to meet our MC, and the rest is pretty much YAish after that. I will admit I enjoyed Eli. That is all. #Iwillnotcry

Lucy being so young and going through what she did I would have totally cracked, but she simply found the good in her life. It's the simple things that seem to make kids happy, and sometimes I wish I could go back to being a little kid. #idontwanttogrowup

ENDING

I think this is what really killed me. I got attached to SOME of the characters so when things started happening and someone got hurt I wanted to cry. This is how I felt! #whywhywhywhy

Cover Reveal: In a Handful of Dust by Mindy McGinnis

The only thing bigger than the world is fear.

Lucy’s life by the pond has always been full. She has water and friends, laughter and the love of her adoptive mother, Lynn, who has made sure that Lucy’s childhood was very different from her own. Yet it seems Lucy’s future is settled already—a house, a man, children, and a water source—and anything beyond their life by the pond is beyond reach.

When disease burns through their community, the once life-saving water of the pond might be the source of what’s killing them now. Rumors of desalinization plants in California have lingered in Lynn’s mind, and the prospect of a “normal” life for Lucy sets the two of them on an epic journey west to face new dangers: hunger, mountains, deserts, betrayal, and the perils of a world so vast that Lucy fears she could be lost forever, only to disappear in a handful of dust.

In this companion to Not a Drop to Drink, Mindy McGinnis thrillingly combines the heart-swelling hope of a journey, the challenges of establishing your own place in the world, and the gripping physical danger of nature in a futuristic frontier.(less)

Expected publication: September 23rd 2014 by Katherine Tegen Books

Although, I haven't read Not a drop to drink yet I have it on my bookshelf, and might get to it soon. I usually don't do cover reveals with just one book, but seeing as how I'm a little behind on covers and this one was just revealed today I thought I might share it.

I love the way that it compliments it's companion novel Not a Drop to Drink. The colors of the two books are completely different yet it works. These are definitely two book covers I want sitting on my shelf.

What do you think about the cover?