Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie by Jordan Sonnenblick is a realistic fiction book that is an inspirational story and should be read by everyone. There are people in the world who will relate to this book, and others who will appreciate what emotional impact cancer has on people. It gives a sense of sadness, grief, and guilt as the main character, Steven, goes through difficult times.

Steven Alpher, who's just an average middle school boy, is a talented drummer. Steven’s life turns upside down when he finds out that his brother, Jeffery, has cancer. Jeffery’s health condition causes the family many difficulties however, their main issue is how expensive Jeffery’s treatment is and how will they pay for it. Meanwhile, Steven has to come to terms with his brother’s condition. Throughout the book there were many people who helped Steven stay strong, and work through his struggle. Some of the people who helped him do this were Steven’s crush, a girl named Renee Albert, Steven’s friend, Annette Watson, who was always caring and generous, Ms. Galley who is the school guidance counselor, and Samantha, a girl Steven met while in the hospital with Jeffery. Steven’s dad, Mr. Alpher is a hard worker who tries to make the best for his family and help out the most he can, while Steven’s mother can get a bit emotional at times but is a major part of helping out their family.

I enjoyed how the author captured the emotions of experiencing a difficult family situation. As a person who has not had to deal with a struggle like Steven’s, it gives me a new understanding for the difficulty. What made me keep reading this book was the suspense. I always wondered what was going to happen next. This book left me wanting to read more. I would recommend this book to people who don't mind reading a book that can be a bit sad and gloomy at times. I would also recommend this to people who enjoy suspense in a book.