Not a Drop to Drink - Book Review

Not a Drop to Drink (Not a Drop to Drink #1)
by Mindy McGinnis

What is it about:
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...

What did I think of it:
I will confess I was a bit unsure about this book at first.

The story starts out with Lynn and her mother guarding their pond, and to be honest: they sounded like a couple of loons. Lynn's mother was acting like a paranoid drill sergeant one moment, but totally letting her under aged (and unworldly) daughter calling the shots a moment later. And don't get me started on the world building. I couldn't make sense of it.

But then Lynn is suddenly on her own, gets confronted with other people, and the story got interesting.

The world building still didn't make much sense to me, but I liked the unfolding events enough that I didn't care about that anymore. There's suspense, danger, Lynn trying to learn how to deal with strangers, and making choices based on her own judgement.

I liked the changes Lynn underwent in this story. She starts out as a character I just couldn't care for, but at the end of the book I was rooting for her. There were some really cool other characters she meets as well.

All in all this is an enjoyable read once you ignore your questions about the world building and I might pick up the next book if I happen to find it.

Why should you read it:
It's an entertaining Dystopian read.