Arid follows Joshua and a dwindling band of survivors who struggle to stay alive in a scorched wasteland where water is nearly gone, and hope feels just as scarce. The story opens with violence and fear and then tumbles into a tense rhythm of hunger, grief, and desperate choices. What begins as simple survival slowly grows into a harsh portrait of a world ruined by greed and war. The plot moves fast. The danger grows even faster. Every chapter places the characters on thinner ice, or really, thinner sand.

I was pulled into the raw emotion of the group. The writing surprised me with how blunt it was. It hits hard without dressing anything up, and it carries this grim honesty that kept me hooked. The world feels brutal and close. I caught myself clenching my jaw as the characters scraped by on scraps and bad luck. The book plays with fear and loyalty in a way that feels relatable. Even when the dialogue gets sharp or rough, it has this realness that fits people who have nothing left to lose.

I had mixed feelings about the pacing at times. Moments of danger slammed into moments of tenderness so fast that I felt a little off balance, but in a strange way, it worked. Life in a dying world would probably feel exactly like that. What I appreciated most was how the story leaned into relationships. Watching Joshua push himself past exhaustion made me feel for him in a deep way. The book never lets you forget how fragile everyone is. It never lets you relax, either. I liked that, even though it made me anxious along the way.

Arid feels like a story for readers who enjoy emotional survival tales that stay raw and gritty. It suits anyone who wants characters who fight with heart, make mistakes, and keep going even when the world seems determined to crush them. Arid reminded me a bit of The Road because both stories paint survival as a harsh grind, yet Arid feels more like watching a tight-knit group unravel, while The Road follows a quieter and more intimate struggle. If you like dystopian fiction that leans into both hope and heartbreak, this book will be a good fit.

Pages: 272 | ASIN : B09L6QF2XV