YA Space Opera that will hit you in all of your feelings and leave you with a satisfying ending!

In 2025, I'm reading on the theme of "Water" so when I saw a Space based world in search of water? I hit that request button as fast as a speedracer.
This is a debut novel for this author and there's a lot to love in Thirsty Ground! Readers follow Conway as he's about to join the elite squad of Hydro-Seekers as the sail among the stars delving for the most precious resource- water. Conway's focused and determined to be the best- but as often happens- things don't go quite as planned. Conway is injured on a mission and left behind. As he learned to survive and even thrive in his new environment, his perspectives change and he begins to question all he's been taught to believe and where his alliances fall.
Add that drama to epic battles, treachery, double crossing, and a budding romance, and you're in for a wild, but tender ride through this novel. I couldn't put the book down in the last chapters because I had to find out what happened!
I enjoyed this novel and felt it had solid disability representation as well as interesting conversations on consent/relationships and what makes a hero. This would be an excellent novel for a YA book club, as there's a lot to enjoy and unpack.

Look for my full review in School Library Journal.

Overall, this was a fast paced and interesting YA novel that explores space tourism and resource mining following a civilization collapse. The character portrayal of disability felt authentic and made the narrative intriguing.