Mindy McGinnis' "Not A Drop To Drink" is one phenomenal debut novel. It's a gritty survival story with a beating heart - meaningful, moving and intelligent. A no-nonsense depiction of a post-apocalyptic world in which the rivers have dried up and the thirst, hunger and desperation are all that's left. 
 This is a powerful story. A rare gem among YA books that can be enjoyed by teens and adults alike. Filled with incredible insights, memorable quotes, and emotionally affecting moments, it gripped me right from the very first page and left me.. changed. Heartbroken, but satisfied and hopeful. This story really pulled on my heartstrings. At times I had tears in my eyes and had to pause and take a deep breath, and remind myself that "this is only a fictional story". Because it was all too easy to forget that. This story felt so real, so honest. Brutal yet utterly beautiful. Most of all, it felt terrifyingly plausible. A fictional scenario that could become our own grim reality in a blink of an eye. There's no doubt in my mind that this is a book I won't ever forget. 
 The writing was exceptional. I inhaled it all. I loved McGinnis evocative descriptions and sharp dialogues. I enjoyed how straight-forward and raw the narrative voice was, it really spoke to me. And it definitely fit the story well, giving it an extra edge. There are passages in this book that will make you pause and wonder about certain things, from more practical things, like how you'd react to certain situations, to more abstract ideas, like friendship, love, fear and what it does to you, isolation and how it affects you. This story is filled with memorable life lessons. 
 I loved all the characters, I really did. How could I not? They're so real, so different from the usual flat, angsty teenagers and nonsensical adults that rule the YA universe. McGinnis' characters are brilliantly fleshed out, with distinct character traits, skills and personalities. Full of complicated - often conflicting - emotions, fears, hopes and dreams. You genuinely care for these people. Especially the heroine, Lynn, who is a girl that will make your heart ache. She entered the adulthood at a very young age, had to learn how to survive, fight off people who would come and try to steal water from their lake, be tough, even merciless. To stay alive she had to learn how to kill. Her life was virtually joyless. Even with her mother still alive and there to keep her company, she was devastatingly lonely. But then horrible things happen. Her mother's death, the unexpected friendship with the old neighbor, the arrival of strangers with unknown and possibly bad intentions- Lynn has to face all that, change her old way of thinking and adapt to this new situation. And her personal growth, inspired by so many gut-wrenching and heart-pounding events - is immense. 
 Not A Drop To Drink is filled with breathtaking action and it makes for a fast-paced, captivating and deeply moving read. The plot, the action, the setting and the evocative writing - all that is fantastic and top-notch. To me, though, this is most of all a phenomenal character-driven tale. It's a story of survival, yes, but it's also so much more. It's about letting go and finding your own voice and way of life, it's about opening yourself to the world and allowing yourself to trust another human being, it's about fighting for what's yours but also fighting for what's right, it's about so many things.. you will be blown away and reeling from it for a very long time. Don't wait another moment, pick it up.