Arizona Wakefield is a girl who plays snare drum in her school's marching band. She's not confident about a lot of things, but she knows how to work it on her snare drum and she kicks butt on set with refined precision and expertise. She's got an issue she can't talk about. Even her parents are in chosen denial about it.
Jesse Barringer has a once famous, "one hit wonder" deadbeat dad, who is still trying to find ways to use Jesse's singing talent for his own gain. His father has no shame in trying to exploit his talented son who only wants to sing in his band, and like many other teenagers, wants to make it in music. Jesse's also bipolar. He's emotional, he's got a temper, he's coming unglued under all of the stress from his father, and he's barely holding onto his sanity.
Ginger Scott has always included issues like gang violence, the ups and downs of high school, Autism, suicide, the barriers of social status, physical disabilities (seen and unseen), the aftermath of surviving a school shooting, alcoholism, being a teenaged father, and so much more.
Some people know someone who has Autism. Some people know someone who is physically disabled. Some people know someone who is an alcoholic. EVERYBODY knows someone who has a mental illness or mental health issue, diagnosed or undiagnosed, even if that someone is themselves.
In Drummer Girl...THIS BOOK IS AMAZING...the issue tackled here is mental illness, the stigmas attached to them (which Ginger Scott strips away), and how to talk about it openly. And like every other book Ginger has written, she geniusly weaves an extremely real issue into a fictional, contemporary romance, that is thrilling, filled with emotion, and enjoyable.
If you expect a clean, sugary, and sappy love story, you won't get that here. But you will get a love story that shows how relationships take work. Hard work. Any relationship worth having, is worth the work you put into it. Jesse and Arizona's relationship is no different.
To read Jesse and Arizona's journey will give you all "the feels."
You will get mad when Jesse gets angry. You will feel the angst that Arizona feels when she takes on the pain that Jesse feels. You will probably SCREAM at Arizona's parents to open their eyes and deal with it. I did.
I want a book that can rip my heart out, tinker with it, and then put it back, all fixed up, without leaving me hanging. "Drummer Girl" gave me all of that and then, more.
You might be overwhelmed by two teenagers, who are not just trying to foster a relationship. But they're also fighting their own demons, trying to help each other cope, and trying to overcome all of the other hurdles that a teenager goes through. And this is on top of the intense, typically hormone-driven life of a teenager. Ginger Scott guides these two through those hurdles with impeccable grace and care. She uses real talk, her characters' love for music, just enough grit, and the power that love can have, to get you there. Trust her to carry you all the way to the end. You'll be glad you did.
One of these characters speaks openly about their mental health challenges. The other really doesn't talk about it, primarily because they don't really know exactly why they're taking medication. Ginger Scott doesn't just give you a romance. Trust me, there is plenty of that along with some mature sexual situations. She will also give you a spot on, honest look at how ALL the characters handle all of these issues.
Overall, this is majestically written. It's definitely a thought provoker. And it's got everything you want in any contemporary romance. Story depth, character depth, conflict, emotional tugs, and a more than satisfying ending.
Five "KICK ASS" Stars!!!
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