New Review! Drummer Girl by Ginger Scott 5 Cranky Stars

Drummer Girl by Ginger Scott
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

5 Cranky Stars


I believe as someone with a mental illness we all have our anchors. Someone or something that tethers us to the here and now the one who quits the storm who makes us feel safe. I think Jesse and Arizona are each other’s anchor. As Jesse told Arizona “We all have lakes”. Arizona and Jesse have a very deep lake that is so black and bleak they cope in their own ways. Rather it’s sweeping it under the rug or lashing out and getting high. I know I have my lake. I know many with their own lakes. We all cope in our own ways. This isn’t my story this is the story of Arizona Wakefield and Jessie Barringer. The drummer girl and the lead singer with a lake so deep.


Arizona Wakefield is the first line drummer in her schools marching band. It’s her passion and her escape. She releases all her frustrations on those drums and helps bring home the championship every time. Her life is plain and normal and there is a ghost of the past they don’t talk about. In the words of Ari sweep sweep rug rug. One day her life is turned upside down when a new family moves onto her street. It’s here she meets Jesse Barringer and her life changes. She learns he’s in a band just a fledging band of friends who want to make it big. She unknowingly auditions for the drummer and gets in. They start a relationship working and personal that is filled with lakes and heartache. Yet Ari knows Jesse is a good guy and she just wants to love him for the person she knows he is.


Jesse Barringer had a rough life. His father is a one hit wonder with a drug addict and out of his life and his mama has worked hard for everything she gives to him and his siblings. Jesse dreams of stardom as a guitar player and a singer. Music is his passion it’s his outlet from life from the noises that get too loud. It helps him during his highs and his lows. He meets Arizona one day in front of his house and realizes she is something special. He falls in love with her talent and her heart. Her undying devotion to making sure Jesse is just ok. When she joins the band their fledging relationship blows up into full blown love. Yet all things in his life cant stay good and one thing blows their world up.


This book was like one of Arizonas drum solos. The build up kept you on the edge of your seat and had you excited to see what was next and the when you reach that crescendo at the end you stand up and cheer. You cheer for love and you yell at useless fathers. My heart broke for Ari when she realized all the stories she was told was a product of her making her life better. She suffered a mental illness that she comes to realize that Jesse suffers from too. They are a match made in heaven. I loved the band members and Sam and of course the unwavering support of the parents and siblings. I couldn’t stop reading this book and I adored it.


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