(Image from Barnes & Noble)

"Doomsday scenarios are only fun when doomsday is just a hypothetical" (163).

The drought is old news to Californians.  They're already allowing their grass to die, not filling up their swimming pools, and jumping in and out of the shower as fast as possible.  Although they've been warned the water will run out eventually, most are shocked—and woefully unprepared—when the worst happens.  With no water gushing or even trickling out of their taps, people are panicking.  Those who aren't rushing to leave the state are ransacking the grocery stores, buying up every bottle of water on the shelves.  When not even an ice cube is left and days continue to pass with no relief in sight, chaos reigns.  

Alyssa Morrow barely recognizes her neighborhood anymore—her once peaceful subdivision has turned into a war zone.  When her parents don't return from their trip to get help, the 16-year-old realizes she's on her own to take care of herself and her 10-year-old brother.  With no stored water in her home, her only hope lies in the weird kid who lives next door.  Kelton McCracken is the geeky son of a prepper.  If anyone knows how to survive the water apocalypse, it's him.  When a shocking tragedy sends the teens on a frantic flight to find the supplies they need to survive, all of their lives are put on the line.  Desperate to keep her brother safe and healthy, Alyssa must make some impossible decisions as the ordered world she once knew falls apart around her. 

Considering all that's happened already in 2020, Dry—the newest YA novel by Neal Shusterman and his son, Jarrod—rings eerily true.  Luckily, the catastrophic drought at the center of the story is only fiction (at least for now).  As such, it makes for a tense, exciting page-turner that will force readers to ask themselves, "What would I do?"  The answers may be unsettling, especially considering all we've all been through this year.  Besides being an engrossing novel, Dry is definitely a thought-provoking one.  The characters are realistically complex and conflicted; on the whole, though, they're a likable and admirable lot.  Interesting characters, an engaging plot, and plenty of food for thought combine to make Dry not just a riveting read, but a powerful one.  I absolutely recommend picking yourself up a copy.  Just be warned:  you're going to want to have a big glass of ice water next to you while you read this book because I guarantee it's going to make you crave a nice, cold drink!

(Readalikes:  Reminds me of other YA dystopian novels, especially Not a Drop to Drink by Mindy McGinnis)

Grade:

If this were a movie, it would be rated:

for language (no F-bombs), violence, blood/gore, and disturbing subject matter

To the FTC, with love:  I bought a copy of Dry from Amazon with a portion of the millions I make from my lucrative career as a book blogger.  Ha ha.

It's Tuesday again and you know what that means.  It's time to take a break from all the craziness happening in the world and focus on what's really important: books.  Kidding, kidding.  Top Ten Tuesday is an excellent excuse to take some time out for some bookish fun, though.  If you've never joined in before, you definitely need to give it a go.  Why?  Here are ten fantastic reasons.  Convinced?  Good.  Now, all you have to do is hop on over to That Artsy Reader Girl, read a few instructions, build your own list, then spend some happy hours spreading the love across our wonderful book blogosphere.  What's not to love?

I'm all over today's topic since I'm always interested to see what new books are coming out.  Not that I need to be distracted by the shiny and new when I already have TBR piles all over the dang place.  Still.  I just can't help myself.  I'm excited about all the books still to come out in 2020.  Today, I'm going to restrain myself and just chat about ten ...

Top Ten Most Anticipated Releases for the Second Half of 2020 (in order of release):

1.  We Are All the Same in the Dark by Julia Heaberlin (available August 11)—A small Texas town is still reeling after the disappearance of a local young woman.  When a mysterious mute girl is found by the side of the road in the same town, a young police office becomes obsessed with figuring out what happened to both girls.  I'm always up for an intriguing mystery!

2.  When No One Is Watching by Alyssa Cole (available September 1)—Concerned over the deterioration of her Brooklyn neighborhood, Sydney Green and her neighbor are trying to revitalize the place.  A delve into the area's history reveals some disturbing answers to the question of where all the residents are disappearing to.  Will Sydney be the next to vanish?    

3.  The Deadly Hours by Susanna Kearsley, C.S. Harris, Anna Lee Huber, and Christine Trent (available September 1)—Huber is the only one of these authors that I've read before, but her involvement is more than enough to make me want to read this book.  The story features a cursed gold watch and the havoc it wreaks on all who own it throughout several centuries.   

4.  Rated by Melissa Grey (available September 3)—This dystopian YA novel takes place in a society where everyone's behavior is rated in real-time 24/7.  Your rating determines your place in life.  When a shocking act puts the spotlight on a prestigious high school where ratings are everything, things start to get very interesting for six special classmates ... [Update:  Someone pointed out that Rated actually came out last year. Oops! At least we don't have to wait to read it :)]

5.  The Orphan of Cemetery Hill by Hester Fox (available September 15)—I've enjoyed Fox's two previous novels, so I'm excited for her newest, which concerns a young woman who can commune with the dead.  When she runs away from home and ends up in a Boston cemetery, she becomes embroiled in a sinister scheme that puts her and her future in grave danger.

6.  To Tell You the Truth by Gilly Macmillan (available September 22)—I got a good start on this one while sitting at the DMV for three hours today so my son could get his driver's permit.  So far, I am loving the story, which revolves around a bestselling thriller writer whose wildly popular fictional character is starting to take over her life.  When her husband disappears, the author must ask herself some very disturbing questions ...

7.  The Book of Two Ways by Jodi Picoult (available September 22)—Picoult's been a longtime favorite author of mine, so I always look forward to a new book from her.  Her latest is about a married woman who's still infatuated by a man she used to know.  When she miraculously survives a plane crash and the airline offers her the chance to fly anywhere in the world, she sees an opportunity to live a whole new life.  And takes it.  Intriguing, yes?

8.  The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes (available September 29)—Are you a Knives Out fan?  Me, too.  This YA thriller is being compared to the hit movie thanks to its similar premise.  When a penniless high school senior inherits a fortune from a man she's never meant, she's stunned.  Why has he singled her out?  And what crazy game is he making her play in order to get the money she so desperately needs? 

9.  The Searcher by Tana French (available October 6)—French is one of my favorite thriller writers, so I'm always on the lookout for a new book from her.  It appears her newest is a departure from her Dublin Murder Squad series.  Still, it sounds like a compelling mystery.  It features a retired cop who's ready for some R&R in the Irish countryside.  When a local boy goes missing, however, the child's brother talks the detective into investigating the disappearance.  

10.  The Arctic Fury by Greer Macallister (available December 1)—Twelve women join a secret Arctic expedition in the 1850's.  Not all of them make it back.  A sensational murder trial ensues.  Murder in the Arctic?  I'm SO in for this one!

There you have it—ten upcoming releases that I can't wait to read.  What do you think of my list?  Do we have any titles in common?  Which new releases are you excited about?  I'd truly love to know.  Leave me a comment on this post and I will return the favor on yours.

Happy TTT!              

(Image from Barnes & Noble)

For farm girl Stefania "Fusia" Podgórska, nothing is as exciting as life in the city of Przemysl, Poland.  Delighted to be free of pigsty stink and the endless clucking of chickens, the 13-year-old takes a job in a grocery store owned by the Diamants, a kind Jewish family.  Four years later, she has become like a daughter to them.  Unbeknownst to Mr. and Mrs. Diamant, the 17-year-old, who is Catholic, is secretly engaged to their son, Izio.  Although she hides the secret from her adopted family, there is nothing she wouldn't do for the Diamants.  

When Poland is invaded by the German Army, Przemysl is not spared.  Jews are being rounded up and shipped off to places unknown.  As residents disappear, the city becomes a ghost town.  Fusia is left on her own, the only person who can care for Helena, her 6-year-old sister.  Then, comes a knock on her apartment door.  Max Diamant, Izio's older brother, has jumped from a death camp train.  He begs Fusia to hide him from the Nazis.  Determined to save her friend, she complies.  It's not long before word spreads and Fusia finds herself sheltering not just Max, but twelve other Jews in the small house she's now renting.  While she does everything she can to feed and protect her charges, her situation is becoming increasingly desperate.  

Another knock on Fusia's door changes things once again.  This time, it's two Nazi officers requisitioning her house.  Unable to refuse their demands, the terrified young woman begins a tense tightrope walk to keep her Nazi house "guests" distracted, her Jewish refugees hidden, and her precocious little sister from running her mouth and dooming them all.  

I've read all but one of Sharon Cameron's unique, imaginative YA novels, so I was shocked when I learned her newest was historical fiction in the most traditional sense.  The Light in Hidden Places is based on the wartime experiences of Stefania Podgórska, who really did hide more than a dozen Jews in the same home where Nazi officers lived.  It's an extraordinary story of courage, daring, and compassion.  While Fusia's dangerous efforts to defy the Nazis are not anything that WWII fiction lovers haven't read about before, they still make for a suspenseful, awe-inspiring story.  In Cameron's capable hands, the reader can really feel the characters' terror as their situation grows more and more desperate.  Thanks to her careful depictions of them, Cameron's story people stand out as not just empathetic, but also human and authentic.  It's impossible not to root for their survival.  The author's note at the end of the novel explains the true fates of the people in the story, which makes the tale that much more real.  Cameron is a writer I've long admired and The Light in Hidden Places just solidifies her place as a favorite.  I loved this novel as much as I have her others.  I'll always be on the lookout for more from her.

To learn more about Stefania, visit The Stefi Foundation.  A 1996 TV movie called Hidden in Silence also tells her story.  In addition, an interview with Helena Podgórska can be viewed on Sharon Cameron's website. 

(Readalikes:  Reminds me of The Diary of Anne Frank and other World War II/Holocaust novels)

Grade:

If this were a movie, it would be rated:

for brief, mild language (no F-bombs), violence, scenes of peril, and disturbing subject matter

To the FTC, with love:  I bought a copy of The Light in Hidden Places from Amazon with a portion of the millions I make from my lucrative career as a book blogger.  Ha ha.