In a Handful of Dust audiobook

“That’s life, little one—lots of little maybes and what ifs all lined up in a row. And if you put your mind to following some of them that never came about, you’ll get lost and not find your way back to the way it really is.” Mindi McGinni's books are exactly my flavor of dark, atmospheric and incredibly intelligent. I loved Not A Drop To Drink - it was one of my favorite novels in 2013. I didn't think Mindy would write a follow-up, but was beyond thrilled to learn about this companion novel. It was just as good (if not better), as Not A Drop To Drink. These two books sport one amazingly gritty atmosphere. What we have here is a world driven to the brink of extinction by its own inhabitants; humans. Almost all of the world's water supply is gone, and whatever little there's left is either protected by the government, or guarded by people who won't hesitate to shoot you if you come to close to their precious water source. But Lynn's little pond is now the source of danger, rather than hope and life. The water is infected and potentially lethal. And so Lynn makes the decision to abandon her childhood home and leave in search of a new place to live - a new home for Lucy and herself. Together, they will journey to California, where desalinization plants are rumored to be purifying water. In A Handful of Dust, to me, is a work of utter brilliance. It's a book so skilfully plotted, so thought-provoking and illuminating, it's not only mesmerizing but also completely breathtaking. Filled with moments of true heartbreak, beautiful and meaningful thoughts and observations, disturbingly vivid portrayals of a world gone oh-so-very-wrong, it's a truly unique and important book. Admittedly, this isn't going to be everyone's cup of tea. I find Mindi McGinni's books to be very different from the mainstream YA dystopians and post-apocalyptic thrillers. You don't read her books for cheap thrills and cheesy forbidden romance, you read them for the slow-burning action, brutality, honesty and cathartic emotional load. They are deeper, darker and more densely plotted than your usual YA. Often times they are even shocking and thoroughly devastating. Most of all, they are smart and insightful, with top-notch character development and world-building. Where Not A Drop To Drink was more about a stationary kind of survival and defending what belongs to you, In A Handful Of Dust is about the challenges of a long and dangerous journey and the hope that lays behind the horizon. I absolutely adored this book. Mindi McGinnis is one of my go-to authors and I know I can't wait for her next book, A Madness So Discreet, to be published.

This book takes place ten years after the events in Not a Drop to Drink. Lynn is no longer a teenager. She is now in the "mother" role of raising her own teen. Remember Lucy, the little girl she took in? Yep that is the girl we get to hear this story from. This book has a different feel to it. In many ways I liked this book better than the first book.To start with, Lucy is quite different from Lynn. While Lynn was untrusting and cynical from her upbringing, Lucy is full of life, enjoys being social and is much more trusting. In this book that is both a blessing and a curse for these women. After Lynn dealt with the vagabonds that looted from everyone, suddenly she has a whole community around her. I have no idea how this came about exactly as as it sounded like neighbors were not exactly close. But apparently everyone has come out of their shells and now rely on each other. I wish we had a bit more of a 'how' this came about but alas I am stuck to basic conclusion forming. When Lucy and Lynn are "forced" to leave their home they decide to try to trek to California. From Ohio! Talk about a long journey on foot! The reason is that Lucy and her boyfriend Carter are suspected of being carriers of polio that is killing of the community! While Carter is the likely suspect, his mother is pointing her finger toward Lucy as well. Plus Lynn is on the outs with another woman. So Lynn and Lucy set out for what they home is a better life. Leaving Stebbs, Vera and their home behind. This saddened be as I loved Stebbs' character and was so happy at first he was in this book.This book is very character driven. While we get many veiwpoints of different lands and terrains, and we meet other characters both good and bad, the focus really is on these two ladies. Both strong in their own rights but very different and a fierce loyalty to each other. I love Lynn for giving up everything for Lucy throughout much of this book. Although is seems she ended up more like her mother than I would have liked. Even after all the events that have happened in the pat ten years. She is still an amazing shot and doesn't trust anyone or anything. It complements Lucy who wants to see the best in things and people. While this book is written in third person, it is still focused on Lucy. How she sees things, what she feels and experiences. The result is that there are several poignant scenes but nothing over the top which was nice. Ultimately, between the two books, it gives a wonderful diverse feel of the same world seen through different aspects. Things I did not like- The first one being how Carter is handled. While Lucy reflects on him through their first part of the adventure, once they pass the city it is like he never existed until toward the end of the book. Which makes her reaction to what happens all the more vexing. While I cannot explain any better without spoiling things, the overall thing annoyed me. The desert scene was also frustrating. While much of the book takes on a slower pace, here I felt rushed and then like I missed part of the book.Overall I did enjoy this book. The world building and depth were better than the first book. Yet I will warn you now, that the ending is true to form to the first book. Neither good nor bad yet strangely fitting to the world they live in. Despair and hope fill this novel in unique ways that captured me for the entire read. While is was slower paced than I had expected, I enjoyed it. Very true to form of the prior book and well done!

See more reviews at YA Midnight ReadsIt always breaks my heart when I find out that a standalone which I loved and was satisfied with, has a sequel coming out. Not a Drop to Drink was one of my favourite science-fiction books of 2013 and when I found out that there was a sequel coming out this year, I was quite confused. I mean, what else do you want to write about? Just to clear up some things, this book is a mix between a sequel and a spin-off. Reading book 1 would be a wise choice, because as the stories are tied. We do still have the same old characters, but, we are also introduced to new characters as well as having a different major lead, which happens to be the little Lucy. But in this book, she’s already in her late teens.In a Handful of Dust worked surprisingly well for a sequel that I was really iffy about. We are once again brought back into Lynn and Lucy’s world—a truly terrifying one where water is scarce and the conditions are poor and diseases are floating about everywhere. Mindy McGinnis excels at creating a realistic atmosphere which feels like it could really happen to us in the future. It’s a gritty and bleak story full of a few shocking facts that we as people right now can even relate to.Once again, the highlight of Mindy McGinnis’ latest for me was her characters. Lynn is now around 27 years of age and it took me a while to get my head around that, because I always remembered her as the bad-ass teenager. Don’t worry, she’s still just as bad-ass though. Lucy, now a teenager happens to be more of the lead in this story. Lucy is very open-hearted but strong and a capable young lady—I really appreciated how these two characters were both kick-ass in their own way, and both their voices were very distinct. There wasn’t a moment when I got the two mixed up. Their mother-daughter relationship is another strong element for In a Handful of Dust. While they aren’t a blood bonded relationship, it was just as strong and true. Their dialogue is really sweet and and acts as comic relief--Lucy is always trying to lighten the situation whereas Lynn tends to be the serious one. They balanced out each other perfectly.In a Handful of Dust also brings many interesting topics to the table. Lynn and Lucy go on a trek to California, and on the way, they meet many different types of people. It's really interesting to see how people can be act so differently and cruelly when desperate for survival, and to what extent. The author brings up the fact that people are only living to survive, not living to actually live. Once again another fantastically crafted novel, Mindy McGinnis offers a book full of entertaining characters and a brutal world that I would never want to live in. That's probably one of the reasons why I really enjoy it so much. ~Thank you Katherine Tegen for sending me this copy!~

"And I will show you something different from eitherYour shadow at morning striding behind youOr your shadow at evening rising to meet youI will show you fear in a handful of dust." When I first saw there would be a companion novel to Not a Drop to Drink, I was giddy. The first book in the series just blew me away.This book is EVEN BETTER. I know, I see your raised eyebrow and look of skepticism. I was worried too, but this one is - it's amazing.You have Lucy, raised by Lynn, is becoming her own person. You see the house, the small town and what became of it all. But there is something flowing through this town and it's deadly. it's forcing Lynn and Lucy to make some decisions they never thought they would and leads them down a path we wouldn't send our worst enemy on.The story gripped me and was completely impossible to put down. But the easy banter and wry humor of Lynn left me giggling in the aftermath of many of the more intense moments. I'm so amazed and grateful that Mindy McGinnis gave us a book 2. But...would it be too much to ask for a book 3??? Pretty please?? :)

“We hear you shoot like a man.”“You heard wrong,” Lynn said coldly. “I shoot like a woman.” 4 1/2 stars. This series is about as insanely awesome as it gets. I can't stop fangirling over it. I finished the first book of this duology a while back, Not a Drop to Drink, and couldn't stop ranting about how much I loved it. McGinnis writes some of the most gripping YA I've ever read. I can't wait to read more by her.If you're the kind of reader who likes survival, apocalyptic, or western-style books, then look no further. In a Handful of Dust follows two women who are toughened fighters in a dusty, gritty cowboy setting. Lucy and her adoptive mother, Lynn, live in a world where water is scarce and they treat every person as a threat at the end of their gun.When polio sweeps through the camp where Lucy and Lynn live, they decide to escape the infection and head to California, where they've heard rumors that plenty of water resides. It isn't long before they run into life-threatening dangers on their hard journey.I loved Lucy's relationship with her adoptive mother, Lynn. This book emphasized that Lynn was Lucy's real mother, even though she wasn't her "birth" mother. The dynamics between the two of them were so sweet and funny, since Lucy was more timid and gentle than her fierce mother. “Why couldn’t I want something easy?”“Because that’s not like you. You’ve always been fond of the difficult.”“True enough. I like you, after all.” Make no mistake, people: This book was BRUTAL. Some of the violence made me want to shrink away, but I loved how the author portrayed humanity as desperate, animalistic, and raw. The characters had been through so much, barely had enough water to stay alive, and were under a constant wariness to trust anyone. Their behavior seemed like a realistic possibility if the world ever got to be this bad.If you want to feel like you're about to die from thirst, hunger, or get shot if you walk around a corner, read this book. I loved how easily I was able to connect with the characters and step into their shoes - it felt like I was literally being put through their hardships.I also liked the way this book didn't feel like a "sequel." You don't have to read Not a Drop to Drink in order to read this. It's a companion novel and focuses on some of the same characters, but it provides very few spoilers for the first book. Truthfully, I'm a little bit sad this is only a two-part series, but at the same time, it ended on just the right note, with a hint of melancholy and bittersweetness.

Okay, guys... I don’t think I’ll ever be the same. There's a hole in my heart, I don't think I'll ever be able to fulfill. It hurts too much for me to properly TRY to say goodbye to this.I'm going to go listen to sad music, now

In many ways, I liked In A Handful of Dust more than its predecessor Not a Drop to Drink. However, the last 15% or so didn’t quite work for me, I was left with a lot of questions. Still, this is a solid contribution to the YA dystopian genre that I thoroughly enjoyed.Starting out with the positives, the pacing is fantastic. I’m reminded a little bit of The Forever Song because it has the main characters traveling for a large portion of the book, but it was not as tedious or uneventful. Something was always happening or had to be dealt with, but not unrealistically so. You really wanted to see where the book was going to go, and the pages flew by.It’s no secret that I tend to prefer a character driven novel, and I felt more of a connection to the characters in this book than I did with its companion. I really sympathized with Lucy and Lynn, as well as all the other characters. I wanted the best for them. The story really revolves around the two and their emotional journey as well as their actual one.About 20% before the end, things started to seem out of place. It sometimes felt like a totally different book, there was a new setting and different plot-lines were introduced. It seemed kind of unnecessary- it didn’t really move the story along. Plus, there was an addition (somewhat of a small surprise) that was really out there and had me going WHAT? In a bad way, not a good way.(view spoiler)[For those of you who have read it, I’m talking about the town with Lander and Ben and when it was revealed the water was from the human bodies. Actually, all the characters there were really odd. (hide spoiler)]On the topic of the ending, the whole book built up and built up but it kind of just fizzled out at the end. Everything was tied up quickly and easily, wrapped up but lacking a bow. It was bittersweet, and I definitely had a case of FEELS but I still felt the conclusion was anti-climatic, especially since I was so invested in this story and the characters. There was a relatively open ending, at least in my mind. I prefer all loose ends dealt with and there to be a clear ending with few What Ifs. However, I do realize that particular type of ending might not have worked well with this series.But those were the only real issues I had with the book, I thought it was great overall and will recommend both In A Handful of Dust and Not a Drop to Drink for anyone looking for a realistic dystopia or just a good read in general. This book was provided to me in exchange for an honest review.None of these gifs are mine.["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>

I fell in love with McGinnis' writing after reading her debut novel and was eager to dive right back into the harsh and desperate world she had created in Not A Drop to Drink. I was looking forward to seeing Lucy and Lynn again and hopefully find them in a better place, both emotional and with the world around them.And while the world was somewhat better, what I was really impressed with was the growth in Lynn. It is unbelievable the change that came over her from not only Stebb's but Lucy's influence as well, I loved it and ate it up.The world they live in is far from ideal or even loving but it has hope and it has potential even with disease running rampant and water still in serious demand you can see humanity slowly coming back, for Lynn, for Lucy and for others as well.I don't even know how to express how truly great these reads are. They aren't filled with light and airy moments or even loving moments but instead those moments in life that really make a person and define who they are. The choices between love and hate, right and wrong and humanity and cruelty. This is raw and it is real, so very real that you can't help but feel transported there. You feel for their struggles, inner and other and you are right there with them. Helping them, guiding them and hoping like heck they make it through what ever trial they are currently endearing.McGinnis is a fabulous writer. One that draws you into their world and makes you love the harshness and the hard truth of it. You can't put it down once you start it and when it is over you are left feelign lost and bereft. These are the reads you need to experience for yourself to really get the full impact of the world and characters she has created, to truly understand their struggles and their triumphs, either way, you won't be sorry that you did once you do.

"One woman, two lives to manage, and everything falling apart around her. But she did it, and she never said a sideways word to me on the matter. And I did it for you, and I'll keep doing it 'til one of us is gone. In a world like this, you pay it forward, 'cause more than likely you didn't deserve it when you got it the first time." 3.5 stars. Mindy McGinnis can write a damn good survival story. This book follows Lucy, with Lynn a continual presence in the novel. I LOVE LYNN. That being said, this gets a half star lower because I didn't enjoy Lucy's story as much as her mother's. I mean who can compare to a gun-toting, T.S. Eliot-quoting woman!? This is a great duology, and definitely some of the best post-apocalyptic I've read. "And I will show you something different from eitherYour shadow at morning striding behind youOr your shadow at evening rising to meet you;I will show you fear in a handful of dust."

I received this ARC from HarperTeen in exchange for an honest review, thanks!I had Not a Drop to Drink on my to read list for a while now, and I'm kind of glad I waited because I could read it and the companion novel back to back without missing a beat. I absolutely loved the first book, and was a bit worried that the second may not live up to my high expectations. I shouldn't have worried. In a Handful of Dust is one of those rare sequels that surpasses the first.The first book focused on Lynn and a small isolated section of land that she guards with her life and gun. She happens to adopt a little girl Lucy, who is the impetus for Lynn to change who she is. Now in A Handful of Dust, Lucy is the new protagonist, and she's grown up to be a teen. The book starts with a bang with a cholera outbreak. I love how all of the science/medicine totally makes sense to me in this book. I feel like the situations everyone is in are realistic with the water issues being as they are. Lucy has a friend that dies, and then certain events happen where both she and her possible love interest are banished from the community. Lucy feels like it's time to head west and see this ocean that her mom always talked about. Lynn being the awesome adoptive mom, goes with her. Along the way they go through a lot of tough times and dangerous situations, all again that feel real. It feels like a gritty Western starring really kick butt women, but is mired in sadness and darkness. I love both of these women characters because they are so strong in the face of such adversity. I felt the book was well paced and beautifully written.Overall, these are amazing books, and everyone should read both of them right away.