Review: H2O by Virginia Bergin

Title: H2O (The Rain #1) 
Author: Virginia Bergin 
Genre: Science Fiction, Adventure, Post Apocalyptic 
Source: NetGalley 
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Publication Date: October 7th 2014
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Summary: 

They don't believe it at first. Crowded in Zach's kitchen, Ruby and the rest of the partygoers laugh at Zach's parents' frenzied push to get them all inside as it starts to drizzle. But then the radio comes on with the warning, "It's in the rain! It's fatal, it's contagious, and there's no cure." Two weeks later, Ruby is alone. Anyone who's been touched by rain or washed their hands with tap water is dead. The only drinkable water is quickly running out. Ruby's only chance for survival is a treacherous hike across the country to find her father-if he's even still alive.

Review:  

The first time H2O was on NetGalley I was denied for it, and then my library never had it and I always had too many ARCs to read to actually go out and buy it. Recently Sourcebooks Fire sent an e-mail out with the sequel to this book, and this one for download. I jumped at the chance. I am a little torn about this one, I liked it enough to finish it but I didn't love it enough to care about what is going to happen next. 

Ruby isn't someone I would get along with in real life. She is way to superficial to me. Girl, almost every you know - wait - EVERYONE but ONE person you know is dead, from some alien bacteria and you are worried about what you look like!? After Simon dies, Ruby gives herself a spray tan and dies her hair red, and from there it only goes down hill. I am thinking the makeup, hair and clothes was Ruby's version of having a mental breakdown. That or she was really at a loss on what to do. Also, I dislike books that the main character knows they are telling a story. Ruby made is clear on the first page she was telling this story, and though she may have had a whit to her and claims she told "Everything she knew." I wasn't a fan of the whole idea. Literally at the end of the book she was talking about if this would get turned into the movie. Ruby, 83% of the world is dead. I doubt anyone wants to produce, let alone make a movie right now. 

I liked the idea behind H2O though. An asteroid fell to Earth years earlier, making a big mess of everything. The bacteria that made the rain deadly was in the asteroid, and as soon as it was exposed to Earth's water it was on a feeding/reproduction frenzy. Soon all the water is polluted including the clouds. The bacteria wants to get to your blood. If you ingest it, it will melt your insides, if it touches your skin you will get a rash that burns and hurts so bad that you want to peel your skin off, and eventually you will. The world building and idea for the post apocalyptic world were there. But, Ruby is the problem that I have with it all. 

The most emotion that was evoked from me during this book is when she has to leave the dog behind, and he chases the car. I cried a little bit at that. That was the extent of the emotion for this. Sadly, I wasn't a fan of H2O. Which is sad since I was really looking forward to it. I have hopes though that Ruby will grow up a little bit in the next book. 

Rating:

(2.5 Stars)