Review: Drought by Pam Bachorz

DROUGHT by Pam Bachorz

Pub. Date: January 2011
Publisher: EgmontUSA
Format: Hardcover , 400pp
Source: Publisher

Ruby dreams of escaping the Congregation. Escape from slaver Darwin West and his cruel Overseers. Escape from struggling to gather the life-prolonging Water that keeps the Congregants alive--and Darwin rich. Escape from her certain, dreary existence, living as if it's still the early 1800s, when the Congregation was first enslaved. But if Ruby leaves, the Congregation will die without the secret ingredient to the Water: her blood. So she stays, and prays to their savior Otto, who first gave Water to the Congregants... and fathered Ruby before he vanished.

When the Congregants discover Ruby's forbidden romance with an Overseer, they beat Ford to stop her from running away with him. Ruby steals their store of Water to save Ford's life and is banished. Ruby has everything she's dreamed of: a modern life with Ford. But the modern world isn't what she thought it would be, and Ruby can't forsake the Congregation. Love and loyalty push Ruby to return and fight for her family's freedom...at a terrible price.

Bachorz has created a compelling story about hope and survival. Ruby is the key to the Congregation’s survival - a secret that must be kept at all costs. Just like her mother, Ruby is fed up with the conditions that she & the congregation is forced to endure. With the greedy tyrant, Darwin, overseeing the harvest, Ruby can only hope that she will escape his rule. I was enamored with this novel.

Bachorz created another interesting world with some exciting characters. Ruby is brave and willing to take the punishments for the congregation's shortcomings when it comes to the water harvest. The conditions are unbearable and the punishments cruel. I rooted for Ruby the whole way as she longed for escape and the safety of the community.

Bachorz's portrayal of Ruby's internal struggles in having to choose between the loyalties of her people and escaping to a normal life is really what drew me into the story. The whole cult-like premise and the Congregation's faith in Otto continued to make me question Ruby's decisions. Bachorz's sophomore novel is just as impressive as CANDOR. I look forward to seeing what this author has in store for her readers next.

Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

Sensational 7 Q & A with Pam Bachorz (Author of Drought)!

Have you ever wanted to know what it would be like to hang out with your favorite author(s)? In an attempt to get a better understanding of authors, my Sensational Seven Q & A takes a closer or more personal look at these authors to give you a glimpse of the personalities behind the writing of your favorite books.

“Talent alone cannot make a writer. There must be a man behind the book; a personality which, by birth and quality, is pledged to the doctrines there set forth, and which exists to see and state things so, and not otherwise.” By Ralph Waldo Emerson

Pam Bachorz grew up in a small town in the Adirondack foothills, where she participated in every possible performance group and assiduously avoided any threat of athletic activity, unless it involved wearing sequined headpieces and treading water.

Pam, who lived in Florida when she wrote CANDOR, currently lives near Washington, DC. When she's not writing, reading, working or parenting, Pam likes to go to museums and theater performances, and watch far too much television.

Her current novel, DROUGHT is in stores today!

If you were given a chance to travel back in time, what year or place would you go / Why?

I'd go somewhere that wouldn't make me 1. ill (bad water, plagues, etc!) or 2. eaten by large animals! Actually, I'd like to go back in time and meet Cleopatra, or Queen Elizabeth. Both must have been forces of nature and I'd like to see in person what they were like.

Describe your novel in seven words or less?

Enslaved girl can escape at terrible price.

Please share with us about your favorite book and fictional crush to date?

There are too many wonderful books to choose from! Just two examples: I was thrilled to see SHIP BREAKER win the Printz and I am a huge fan of Rick Yancey's MONSTRUMOLOGIST series. So I tend towards the light, fluffy reads (kidding!). Hmm, fictional crush, has to be Gilbert Blythe from Anne of Green Gables. Come to think of it, perhaps it's not entirely a coincidence that my husband has dark, curly hair!

If you could be any character in fiction, whom would you be / Why?

I'd like to be a brave warrior, maybe Paksenarrion from Elizabeth Moon's series. I read that over and over as a teen. Paks fought against injustice, with style!

If Hollywood made a movie about your life, whom would you like to see play thelead role as you/ Why?

Well, realistically they'd choose someone ten-twenty years younger and thinner, right? So let's say Mamie Gummer, Meryl Streep's daughter. I think we're going to see some very cool work from her in the coming years. Not that we really look anything alike!

If someone wrote a biography about you, what do you think the title should be – please explain?

It should be NEVER SLOW DOWN, because I seem to be incapable of sitting still in my life--I'm always off to the next challenge, project or house.

How would you describe yourself/life in seven words?
Creative hard-driving woman tries to have it all. (Yes, ok, that's 8 and with a cheating hyphenated word!)

Bonus:

**Is there any additional info you would like to share with your readers about what’s next for you and your books?**

DROUGHT will be releasing as an audio book very soon, with a very talented narrator. So if you enjoy audio books, watch audible.com for that. After that, I'm writing my next story so it will be a little while until the next release. Keep your eyes on my website for announcements!

Thanks for stopping by Pam!

For more information about Pam Bachorz and her books, please visit her website here.

Monday Madness (66): Drought by Pam Bachorz

What is Monday Madness?

It’s the phenomenon affecting all book lovers as we count down the hours in hopes of getting our hands on highly anticipated books on release day. So, come join me throughout the week where I will be featuring Author Interviews, Reviews and Contests for great books.

DROUGHT by Pam Bachorz

Pub. Date: January 2011
Publisher: EgmontUSA
Format: Hardcover , 400pp

Ruby dreams of escaping the Congregation. Escape from slaver Darwin West and his cruel Overseers. Escape from struggling to gather the life-prolonging Water that keeps the Congregants alive--and Darwin rich. Escape from her certain, dreary existence, living as if it's still the early 1800s, when the Congregation was first enslaved. But if Ruby leaves, the Congregation will die without the secret ingredient to the Water: her blood. So she stays, and prays to their savior Otto, who first gave Water to the Congregants... and fathered Ruby before he vanished.

When the Congregants discover Ruby's forbidden romance with an Overseer, they beat Ford to stop her from running away with him. Ruby steals their store of Water to save Ford's life and is banished. Ruby has everything she's dreamed of: a modern life with Ford. But the modern world isn't what she thought it would be, and Ruby can't forsake the Congregation. Love and loyalty push Ruby to return and fight for her family's freedom...at a terrible price.

Want More?

Read the first two chapters here!

Order DROUGHT @ Amazon, Barnes and Noble, BooksAMillion, Borders & IndieBound

Want More? Head over to The Book Butterfly on Tantalizing Tuesday for a special treat!