The Storm by Virginia Bergin

Ruby's alone.  The rain is deadly.  Anyone caught in it, dies.  Anyone who touches water dies.  There is no rescue, there is no cure.  So far she's been foraging for what she needs, but it won't last forever.  What will she do then?

Sourcebooks Fire and Edelweiss gave me the opportunity to read this book for review (thank you).  It will be published October 1st, so make a note to pick it up then.

I've read several dystopian novels about having no water but this one is different because you have to be afraid of the water.  I can't imagine existing without water.  I drink a lot of water each day and the thought of using pop or juice as a substitute sounds disgusting.  However, if the world as you know it ends, you do what you have to do.

Ruby is slowly going insane.  No company, no desire to do anything and depression are setting in.  When she takes off in a Ferrari and almost kills herself driving it, she admits to herself she's losing it.  So when the church bells ring, she can't believe it.  Who could be ringing them?  As scared as she is, she must find out.  It's a friend of hers from school.

This is a wicked world where the crazy rich kid can order the death of someone just to prove you're worthy of staying in his home, where the food is good and you're safe.  At least for a while.  Ruby knows the family and takes her friend to visit.  They're welcomed in but they aren't "in".  When her girlfriend steps in the pool, she begs them to cut her foot off so she won't die.  They oblige but then they just leave her sitting there.  No one else helps, so Ruby has to.

It gets worse when she takes her friend to the military compound for treatment.  She never sees her again.  But she gets locked out and it begins to rain and she doesn't die.  Now everybody wants to control her because she's immune and could be a cure.  And she thought she had trouble before...

This is heartrending book in many ways.  So many die:  Friends, family, caretakers and just everyday people.  As is usual, those in power want to control everything.  The crazy rich kid thinks everybody should die.  And Ruby is somewhere in the middle of it, looking for her Dad and trying to stay alive.  I read this one sitting because the story moved fast and I had to see how it ended.  I bet you will, too.