No Water for the Desert - Brittany Buckner

No Water for the Desert by Brittany Buckner is an emotional story that provokes empathy, sadness and frustration. Nineteen-year-old Grace is ready to leave behind her hometown that is full of nothing but pain. From being raped at age 11 to an ex she can’t get over to a mother who is just plain cruel to her. 

She heads to the desert of California to live with her very wealthy aunt and uncle. She enrolls in community college and makes a few new friends. She has her own car and bedroom. She’s even close to Hollywood where she can start pursuing her real dream of becoming an actress. It seems Grace finally has an opportunity to live the life she’s always wanted. 

But the California desert quickly becomes just another stop in Grace’s painful journey. Love and affection from her aunt turn into judgement and criticism. Friendships get complicated and dangerous. And her pursuit of acting is not as easy as she had hoped.

Buckner delivers a story of a struggling, determined young woman who just wants something better for herself. No matter what she does, she can’t seem to catch a break though. I think this is something we can all relate to at some point in our lives which makes Grace very real. She’s faced more in her short 19 years than most people face in a lifetime. It is heartbreaking and we want better for to her.

I was excited to follow Grace on her journey and hoped throughout the book she would find the happiness she was in search of and deserves. My only real criticism is there was a lot more cursing than what I normally encounter when I read. I felt sometimes it helped to convey the mood of the characters, and other times I felt it was unnecessary. Overall, I am glad I read this book and would love to know where Grace goes next!