Overall I really enjoyed reading this book. It was a feel good story that warms the heart. I'd give it an overall 3.5.

This story follows dancer, Cason, as she discovers she has cancer and her whole life is turned upside down. Once slated to be one of the best dancers around - she struggles as her very attainable dream is ripped away from her. During her time in the hospital going through chemo she meets Davis, a cancer survivor struggling with his own battle of addiction. They form an immediate bond and seem to help each other through their battles.

I loved the message that is portrayed through this novel. I think that the author having gone through cancer herself at such a young age lends more authenticity to what it's like having to treat cancer. The idea that these kids and teens are able to come together and not have to worry about other people wondering about their sickness is such a heartwarming image. I found myself rooting for each and every character because I wanted something good for them.

This being said there were some things I found a bit of a stretch. I think Cason's mom going from work obsessed and in denial about Cason's cancer to completely supportive and caring mother was a bit of a stretch. Not that I don't think she could have gotten to that point - it just seems a bit drastic. The first half of the book was filled with so much happening I thought there would be a lot more to come, but the second half seemed to fall a little bit flatter than the first half. Overall though, I really did enjoy reading this book.

DNF at 48%

Cason Martin is on her way to becoming a successful ballerina. When she is diagnosed with bone cancer immediately after what she assumes is a strain, she begins chemotherapy under the awful eye of her mother, Natalie. Volunteering at the children's hospital is Davis, a recovering addict. They fall in love, blah, blah, blah.

I gave this book a chance; I really did. However, the writing was broad and underdeveloped, the characters were one dimensional, and the insta love was unbelievable and cringy. Cason and Davis only ever talked about each other's physical attributes, and Natalie was just an awful, horrible, unbelievable mother.

I bumped it up to 1 star because the note in the back made me feel like the author really appealed to my emotions. I love the idea of creating a book about a protagonist that is now often seen in literature, but the execution was just not well done.

Brave Enough releases on August 21, 2018.

"Teenager Cason Martin is the youngest ballerina in the Atlanta Ballet Conservatory. She never really had a choice of whether she learned to dance or not. Her mother, the conservatory's artistic director, has made all the decisions in Cason's life. But that's about to change. Cason has been hiding an injury, and it's much worse than anyone imagines.

Davis Channing understands all too well what it's like to give up control of your life. He's survived cancer, but his drug addiction nearly killed him. Now he's been sober for seven months and enjoying his community service at the hospital. But just when he thinks he's got it together, Davis's ex-girlfriend, who is still battling her addiction, barrels back into his life.

Cason and Davis are not friends. But, as their worlds collide, they will start to depend on one another. Can they both be brave enough to beat the odds?" - Goodreads

GENRE
Realistic Fiction, Romance

THEMES
cancer, addiction, love, single parenting, mother/daughter relationships, friendship, recovery, self-image

WHAT I LIKED
Because I was reading this prior to its release date, I think I had a different mindset diving in. Reading something before everyone else does, before it can even be in my hands, had a different feel. It was my first ARC, and it was exciting.

The characters are pretty likable. I was rooting for both main characters to overcome their struggles and come out on top. I even wanted their romance to work, even though I believe they jumped in too quickly. Their connection was quick; I know teenagers react fast, but their journey getting to know one another could have been developed more.

A cancer story is important, and a teenage cancer story is that much more heartbreaking and scary. As a mom, it was terrifying to think about the need for children's hospitals, oncologists, and cancer camps for kids. In the author's notes, at the end of the book, she mentions wanting to write this story so she could see a character like herself, a cancer patient and amputee, in writing. While this is not a work of nonfiction, it is certainly influenced by Gardner's experiences as a survivor.

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE
I don't think the main characters' ages are believable. Maybe I am too naive, but a high school junior who has already battled a narcotics addiction, been in jail, and has now been sober for nearly a year thanks to (sometimes) daily NA meetings, doesn't seem real to me. I would have preferred him to be in college, even if it meant dating someone a year younger than him. However, I do believe Cason could have been a year older as well. I can't pretend to know anything about the ballet world, but a professional dancer who only attends school half a day at the age of 16? I don't know about that.

Cason is super cute name, but I read it as "Carson" every.single.time. Kudos though, it's a good name.

(Spoiler) Some details weren't developed as much as they should have been. We get this mention of the glitter incident so many times, but it's never really explained, whereas camp is mentioned constantly throughout the book and its part is so minimal. It's described as this life-changing event, but only a few specific incidences have depth and detail. Gimme more.

Overall, this is a cute book for teens. There are some good life lessons in there, especially about taking care of yourself, self-image and recovery. The love story is cute, and cancer stories are emotional.

FINAL RATING
3/5 stars

Good YA novel that focuses on finding your own path and dealing with adults living vicariously through their children.

Carson has big dreams of becoming a famous ballerina, her whole life is dance, but a secret injury turns out to be something much worse and shatters everything. Davis is a cancer survivor and a recovering addict who is battling to stay sober. The big question? Are Carson and Davis brave enough to overcome the tough battles they are facing…

I really enjoyed this story, it covers two emotive topics cancer and addiction. As a YA novel, I thought it was really well done. I particularly liked how even though Carson and Davis are linked, each of their stories is separate and what they have to overcome is different.

I liked how even though there is some attraction and a little romance between Carson and Davis, it’s written in a way that it doesn’t overshadow the main theme of the story, there’s no insta love falsity to it, it just flows nicely in the background. I have to say that given how heavy the subject of this book is I didn’t feel depressed or come away feeling sad whilst reading it, it’s hard to put it in words but I just felt so in awe of how brave these characters are.

I don’t normally mention author notes but I found the one at the end of this book incredibly touching and it made this book a bit more special:

“When I was a teenager and reading every book I could get my hands on, I was desperate for a girl that looked like me. For a girl who had cancer and lived. And it was really hard to come by. So, I wrote one.”

This contemporary YA debut novel is thought-provoking, emotional and touches on many issues that others don't dare.  It was almost refreshing to see the real, raw emotion that both Cason and Davis showed at times.  We can't be strong all of the time and I rooted for them both. 

I really felt like I connected with both of the protagonists, Cason is fantastic.  She doesn't really have a filter which I liked and is very strong.  Davis is a great character, kind and selfless and his dark past made me really feel for him.  You could tell that he was struggling at times which was heart-breaking to read.

The secondary characters were great.  I loved Mari and Heather especially; for their no kid gloves attitude towards Cason - they knew what she needed and weren't afraid to go about it; their almost motherly tenderness for Davis was heart warming to read too.  

The story wove together wonderfully and there were a few times where I gasped out loud at what was happening; and I liked that I didn't find it predictable.  I was second guessing myself at times throughout the book.

I really liked this book. It dealt with some tough topics because both the main characters, Cason and Davis have some serious problems. Davis had cancer when he was younger and is currently in remission, but has since developed a drug problem which landed him in prison and rehab and now probation. Cason is a ballerina with an incredible future in front of her and she has just auditioned for a famous ballet company in NYC. Then she is diagnosed with bone cancer and her life changes completely. She has a mom who is in complete denial of Cason's cancer diagnosis which does not help at all. Davis and Cason meet on the Chemo Unit where Davis is completing his community service hours, and they have an immediate connection. The whole story while they get to know each other and both face very real, harsh circumstances of their lives, is really beautiful. They both go through some very difficult things both emotionally and physically which really shows their strength and also helps them grow closer. I think that if this book had been written in the first person it would have really been perfect! I think I would have felt a little more connected to the characters. In general though, this was a great story filled with love, heartbreak, pain and acceptance. Definitely worth your time!!

First of all this cover is beautiful! I was a little concerned when it kind of jumped into the romance between the two main characters but was happy to see that that was not and didn't turn into the main focus of the story. Anyone who loved the tv show Red Band Society will love this! (I, of course, was one that loved it.) The storyline, the characters...there wasn't one thing I hated.
I'm so happy I was granted an eARC from Netgalley for an honest review.

I got this ARC from netgally in exchange of an honest review. And honestly speaking I requested the ARC, because I fell in love with the cover!! Come on!! Isn't it gorgeous?!!! (**drooling**)  Thanks Netgally and publisher North Star Edition for making my wish come true.

This book follows Cason and Davis. Cason, who is a ballerina and doesn't have any other purpose of her life rather than dancing. Whose life turned upside down when she got diagnosed with Bone Cancer. And Davis, who is a cancer survivor yet got addicted to drugs. The book follows their journey to embracing their new life. For Cason it is, how to live with cancer, how to dream again and for Davis, his new life is struggling with the addiction, to stay sober, to live, to love.

"I was, I don't know . . . lost."

"But you're not, now."

"No" There was a pause as he looked for his words. "I wander sometimes, but I'm not lost."

TBH I didn't like Cason's mom at all, on the other hand I loved Davis's mom. What I liked most about this book is that, normally in YA books the love-interest takes all the focus, while in this book both of their struggles were almost untouched by their love interests. Their love interest supported the story-line, didn't end up being the main/only story-topic.

I loved the way this book dealt with drug addictions, how cancer affects a human mentally, the value of peer support. I loved how there was always help available around the corner, but the simple message that its you who have to decide if you want to take it or not.

And what touched me the most is these simple lines by the author at the end of the book

When I was a teenager and reading every book I could get my hands on, I was desperate for a girl that looked like me. For a girl who had cancer and lived. And it was really hard to come by. So, I wrote one.

Its such an inspirational read, do try it out if you are feeling low or just out of space for a while. I hope it will help you to feel good!

It's quite exciting to have a book about amputees and cancer survivors written by an amputee and cancer survivor, and I'm glad that Gardner has the chance to convey her experience to a large audience. In and of itself, though, the book leaves a lot to be desired. The dialogue is stilted and the plot is fairly predictable. I would have preferred to read a book that had a little more life outside of the "issues" it is tackling (cancer, amputation, addiction, trauma and recovery). I would still recommend this over similar books written by authors who don't have the experiences Gardner has, but it doesn't hold up on its own as anything other than a book about those issues. If someone needed a fictional handling of the situations the characters are in, I'd mention this to them--but if they were just looking for something to read and enjoy, I'd give them something else.

The thing that attracted me to this book and excited me the most was its cover – so much that I didn’t even read the blurb before jumping in. Sometimes, doing this and going in directly could result in amazing results like loving the book. And it was with this very hope that I became 'Brave Enough' to jump in and read this book. Now that I have finished reading it, I can’t even find the words to explain my feelings.

Cason Martin is a ballerina from Atlanta, who is her mother, Natalie Martin’s project. Natalie pushes and prods Cason because she thinks Cason doesn’t give her best. As director of Atlanta Ballet Conservatory, Natalie has big plans for Cason – plans that include Cason attending the American Ballet Theater’s studio program in New York. Cason wants to go, too, but she only wants to get away from her overbearing mother. But her dreams seem to shatter around her as she is diagnosed with cancer.

On the other hand, Davis Channing is a high school student who has been sentenced to 300 hours of community service after rehab for possession of drugs. He has to complete this service in his oncologist’s clinic. Yes, you guessed right. Of course that is where he meets Cason. Davis has the possibility of relapsing and he struggles with himself as he fights the urge to use again.

Will Davis and Cason be able to fight their internal and external demons to find peace again? Will they be able to shift their dreams to accommodate reality and still be happy? Will they be able to find their way to each other despite circumstances getting in the way?

First off, I need to say that this book reminds me a lot of The Fault in Our Stars. But that is being unfair, because not all cancer stories are the same. They have as much power to make you cry as they have to make you laugh and hope. And 'Brave Enough' wields the power to bring hope to a cynic, though it mightn’t be successful all the time.

Then there is the fact that the author, Kati Gardner, is a cancer survivor and an amputee herself. Kati was diagnosed with Ewing’s Sarcoma in 1989 and was only 8 when the diagnosis came through and when her leg was amputated. She uses her experiences to write this story of hope and dreams, and to spread cancer awareness with American cancer stats.

The copy I got is marked ‘uncorrected proof’, so all I will focus on is anything but the editing mistakes present in the eBook.

Let me start with how Cason’s mother is in the very beginning. She looks at Cason’s cancer as a ‘stupid inconvenience’, called Mari’s cancer and lack of a led a ‘disfigurement’, and soon enough, she was on my list of disliked characters. But if you are going to read 'Brave Enough' – and I recommend you do – please don’t judge her too early. Yes, she might seem impossible and looks selfish at times, but be patient with her.

'Brave Enough' is an easy read. The language is nice; not wow, not bad, but above average. The narration seems repetitive in a few places. Brave Enough isn’t about anything extraordinary. It’s about hope and its importance in our lives. And that makes the story pretty extraordinary. It is because of this that you can ignore anything that might lightly grate on your nerves, though I must say those instances are far and few.

'Brave Enough' tells us how a disease has the power to take away your best. Once where there was at least half a chance, now there’s only anger and resentment. But it all comes back to the same thing: hope. If you have the hope and the will to put your head above the water, you’ll soon find the shore you’re so desperately looking for. And it applies to everyone in this unpredictable world.

While I’d read the book with just a smattering of sympathy, there came a point where I suddenly felt like crying. It hit me out of nowhere. Before this, I’d made up my mind that the book was a 3.5/5; a 3 even. But it was here that the book went up to a 4.

In the end, I’d just say, if you want to read a story about hope (there it comes again, this word), then do read 'Brave Enough'. It worked big time for me!

I have mixed feelings about this book. I feel like it could have been better written, but I also feel like this is the type of story that some teens may really need. It doesn't have the happiest of endings, but as they say, the struggle is real. The author went through the same struggles as the protagonist, which makes this a type of #ownvoices novel, and I always feel like there's more room for unique points of view. Overall, it's a good story and the fact that it's loosely based on the author's life makes it more interesting to me.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2360402921?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1

What a wonderful book! I was sucked in immediately, and found this book to be engaging and relatable. The characters were realistic and the author wrote in such a way that you really felt like you were there. I would definitely recommend this book!

I really, really wanted to love this book, but I didn't. The story is about Cason, a ballerina who gets cancer that results in her femur being shattered, so she can't dance, and Davis, a cancer survivor who is also a recovering drug addict. On paper, that sounds amazing, but sadly the execution fails the story.

For me, the biggest issue was the lack of depth and the 'telling' instead of 'showing'. We are told Cason is devastated because she can't dance anymore, but it isn't believable at all, especially because it seemed like the main reason she danced was to make her mother happy. We are told that Cason feels terrible after her chemo sessions, but even that isn't shown.

This book also has one of the worst cases of instalove. Davis becomes her boyfriend in like 40 pages, and even Mari becomes her friend out of the blue - despite Cason being horrible to her. So many things felt rushed, even though there was enough time for friendships and relationships to develop at a normal pace.

Natalie started off being one of the worst mothers ever, but also an extremely interesting character. Her refusal to acknowledge the sickness and her treating it like it was an inconvenience was very realistic, and a great foil to everyone else Cason meeting being so supportive and understanding. Unfortunately, Natalie's character wasn't consistent, and in about 20 pages she became the world's most supportive mother™, which is complete bullshit.

What was realistic though, was Davis and his struggles with addiction. He fought to stay sober on every page, and while it was sometimes frustrating to read, I understood the need for it.

I also liked the depictions of friendship, even though they could have been explored more. A lot of relationships and character development were interrupted by the camp, which turned out to be a huge anti climax, so that was disappointing.

Ultimately this book fell flat, and didn't have any meaning or depth at all.

This novel has a highly original plot and great characters. Although a little slow to start, it really builds as the novel continues

3.5 stars
This book was a lot more emotional and hard-hitting than I thought it would be. I did not expect to have the feelings that I did, either. That being said, as much as I wanted to love this book, there were some things that needed to be improved upon that I can’t ignore.

The Main Characters: Cason and Davis. I felt way more connected to Davis than I did to Cason, but I still did not feel like I knew either of them really well by the end of the book. Cason is a dancer and she loves it so much. She dreams to perform and dance. I can relate to that. But, even dancers are more than just dancers. That was the biggest issue. For Cason, all I knew of her was that she was a dancer that has cancer. For Davis, he was a cancer survivor and a drug addict. That’s it. They both needed to be developed more.

The Writing: The writing style was really easy to read. At times, I felt like things were worded oddly (which I know sometimes happens so it wasn’t a huge issue). The biggest issue was the time jumps. I found myself having to

The Plot: I can’t really say there was one. The book was about two people who struggle through cancer and addiction and the repercussions of those things, but I don’t know if there was a climax. I know other people have said this too, but I feel like 50% of the way through the book, it could have been over. Though the emotion and representation of Cason and Davis’s struggle was there, this was not a plot driven book at all.

Other Points: There was a line that Davis said in the beginning of the book about how he wanted to focus on the books and college so he didn’t have to think about Cason being admitted to the clinic. It made me wonder if he had seen her around before and liked her? That wasn’t ever addressed. I wish the progression of Cason and Davis’s relationship was not as fast as it was and had a little bit more depth to it. I think the time jumps played a part in this. Another thing that I found off was the fact that Cason and Davis seemed to rarely discuss Davis’s addiction. It felt like Davis was always the support system for Cason and barely ever vice versa. There needed to be more overlap between their story’s. They needed to connect more.

I loved the representation in this book. I have had some experience with cancer (though definitely not as extreme) but I feel like it was done really well. It is an own-voices novel with the author being a child cancer survivor and amputee as well. I don’t have any experience with drug addiction, but again, I do like how it was shown. I also love the friends: Mari, Jase, and Noah. They were great additions to the story and only wished they were in it a little more.

The cover immediately caught my eye and led me to explore this book, and I’m glad I did. Gardner’s book follows seventeen-year-old Carson and Davis, who are each struggling with difficult issues. Carson is an aspiring ballerina who was recently diagnosed with bone cancer. Davis is a cancer survivor and a recovering drug addict. While this has the potential to be a depressing read, it isn’t. It is one of the most inspiring reads I’ve read in some time, as there are key themes of hope and strength. The characters could easily succumb to their circumstances and give up, but they don’t.

In the author’s note, she mentions that she’s a cancer survivor, as well, which adds a level of authenticity to the story. Descriptions are vivid, and the characters’ emotions and dialogue are realistic. There is solid character development, and the reader has a front row seat into the treatments and procedures throughout the story. Secondary characters are well utilized. Gardner was “brave enough” to show a realistic YA story that should be on every teen’s TBR pile (and adults, too).

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley, but I wasn’t required to leave a positive review.

I met this author at a meet and greet for Nic Stone and Scott Reitgen. We sat beside each other and she filled me in on this complete gem of a book. This is a great read for someone who feels like they are not represented enough in young adult literature. This story is flowing and beautiful from start to finish. The author has experience with these hardships and you can tell by her writing that this is something she is connected with. I will read anything by this author.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I loved that it had a little bit of everything: drama, romance, cancer, struggle, tragedy, the works. My favorite parts and the things that set it apart from other stories are the author's note, "I was desperate for a girl that looked like me. For a girl who had cancer and lived... So, I wrote one," and Cason's "Fear be damned" moment. It's a story full of actual truth, of real heartache and struggle, but also of triumph; it's one that young adults desperately need.

This fast-paced story hops back and forth between Cason's and Davis' experiences and thoughts - every chapter practically ended with a cliff-hanger. It was awesome. I couldn't put it down because I was always scared or excited for the characters. This style of writing would hold the attention of some of my most resistant readers but was easy enough to get through that even my struggling readers could both enjoy and relate to it.

I like that through the eyes of the main characters, we get to see the side characters change, specifically Cason's mother, Natalie. I think I was most thrilled for her at the end of the novel because it's always so easy for us to hate and blame "evil" mother figures when, in reality, they need our forgiveness to grow too. Cason isn't the only one suffering in the story, and I liked the tragedy and lessons the author included for Natalie too. It made it real and reminded of all the times I selfishly groaned at my own mother. However, if young adults will open their hearts and minds to her, they can maybe learn something about life and some of the struggles their own mom endures too.

Cancer and drug abuse are not uncommon diseases to our YAs nowadays. A number of my students personally know cancer patients, and even a few have been through cancer treatment themselves. They've watched their own friends die. They see and are tempted with drugs every day. I like that readers are taken on Cason's and Davis' journies to see the hardships and mental struggles they faced daily, especially every passing moment that Davis is tortured by the idea of "one more high." It's heartbreaking, but, hopefully, it could be one more example to show that life's issues aren't solved with one decision, or over the course of one night - it takes work, dedication, commitment, and a strength they probably haven't found yet. This book IS important!

I really did enjoy this book. It felt real, raw and close. I can't relate to the illness that Cason has but I can relate to being sick. That some things just hits you so hard. I don't know enough about addiction either, but I found the portrayal realistic enough for me and it felt close. Like I could feel it. I also liked that the author showed that there are options out there. That you can get help.

Also, the cover is spectacular! I'd absolutely recommend people to pick this one up.