Wow. I just finished this book a few minutes ago, and I'm sitting here in a puddle of tears! I was so incredibly moved by this powerful tale of two young people, Cason and Davis, who are trying to put themselves back together after life-changing events--cancer and drug addiction. The heart of this book is truly the journey the characters go on, the struggles they endure, and their fight for survival. I was blown away by this raw and realistic look at how we all get dealt bad hands in life, and we all have to decide if we're going to be brave enough to keep on fighting. I think a lot of teens will really relate to this book and I whole-heartedly recommend it! A gorgeous debut by Gardner!

I was very happy to read this book, which has many qualities of authenticity.

Indeed the author has chosen a subject that matters a lot to her, as she’s directly concerned. She explains, in the end of the book, that she had the same cancer as her heroine as a child, and have lost her left leg as a result. The story and its characters are the product of her imagination, but all the facts, the details, the emotions are quite true.

I’ve got ambivalent thoughts about the actuel tendency of presenting more and more teenagers with various illnesses in YA books. In a way it’s really great, giving information to readers, encouraging them to understand, to be tolerant, to show that a person is a person no matter what, and never their illness. But on the other hand I’m always suspicious. Some authors, even motivated with the best intentions, even concerned by the difference, sometimes instrumentalise it, using the dramatics of an illness or neurological difference to create high emotions. I’m not sure it’s a bad thing, especially if the result is wholesome for the readers, but I can’t feeling the process sometimes a little dishonest… In « Brave enough », I was quite happy, all was perfect in my point of view.

I was very happy to read this book, which has many qualities of authenticity.

Indeed the author has chosen a subject that matters a lot to her, as she’s directly concerned. She explains, in the end of the book, that she had the same cancer as her heroine as a child, and have lost her left leg as a result. The story and its characters are the product of her imagination, but all the facts, the details, the emotions are quite true.

I’ve got ambivalent thoughts about the actuel tendency of presenting more and more teenagers with various illnesses in YA books. In a way it’s really great, giving information to readers, encouraging them to understand, to be tolerant, to show that a person is a person no matter what, and never their illness. But on the other hand I’m always suspicious. Some authors, even motivated with the best intentions, even concerned by the difference, sometimes instrumentalise it, using the dramatics of an illness or neurological difference to create high emotions. I’m not sure it’s a bad thing, especially if the result is wholesome for the readers, but I can’t feeling the process sometimes a little dishonest… In « Brave enough », I was quite happy, all was perfect in my point of view.

I read this book very easily, it was a good story, with strong message about illness, family and drugs. I applaud the author to have managed to write a very positive story without letting the reader forgot about the realities of cancer and addiction. Some children and some teenagers die of cancer, even with good treatments. Some people aren’t able to overcome their addiction, even with the best help. And still, hope is bright, as so many courageous people – patients, their families, doctors, hospital workers, volunteers – do their best, always.

Withstanding the gravity of the themes, the story was pleasant, with good characters, and the two stories intertwined of a teenage girl, a professional dancer, and a teenage boy, who was a « cancer kid » and is now cured but had also been using drugs. Their psychological evolution is a little bit rushed but sound and optimist, with a positive ending, which is a beautiful message!

Horrible, insufferable characters that quite frankly I hated from the get-go and my opinion didn't change. Sadly yet another instance where the book cover art gained 5 stars and the book did not. Very disappointing

Okay, so I may have accepted this book at first because the authors name is spelt the same as mine and that alone is a rare thing. But also because I read a few reviews and descriptions of this book and all came back as amazing! Then I got the book and by goodness this book is fantastic. I could not stop reading it. The characters are fantastic. I connected very well with Cason. Although yes I do kind of hate her name. This book is absolutely amazing and I loved it. Seriously I recommend picking it up and giving it a chance even if your heart may break a little.

Everyone is always told to be brave. But mostly its okay to be Brave Enough!

I always fall in love with stories that have dancing or music in them. I always fall in love with stories that teach me about some disease.

I thought I knew about cancer and its aftermath but I had no idea. I always perceived it as a two-way street - you either die or live happily ever after. Kati Gardner taught me that it is not so. I had no idea you could lose limbs and that its quite common. And I bet there are people who have leukemia or lung cancer who will say that they have it easy. Just cut it off and you're alright, whats there to whine about. But this book showed the different spectrum of losing a limb. It varies from being okay to losing your whole identity. Its awful either way and I'm glad to have the chance to learn about it.

I thought I knew about addiction and coming out of it but I had no idea. First of all I liked to see a cancer patient who wasn't a saint. And showing the horrible influence of dealers and how getting them out of the street is a very important key in helping addicts recover. I would've like to see more justifying in Davis's head though. I've heard all the "But I aced this test, I deserve a prize" and "Its not healthy to stop right away or the body goes in shock, it will help me to recover if I take one hit". I somehow felt that was missing from here but to be fair Davis wasn't in the begging of his recovery, maybe thanks to all the therapy and meetings he was passed that and only one bad thought had remained in his head "Just one shot". Spoiler: I hope every recovering addict has a "Margarite" to call them at the right moment. And of course John. If you have a friend who is recovering just take the time and call them just to say high or to grab a burger or something. This saves lives!

This is not a light read nor its heavy. Its balancing somewhere in between and I think that beautifully shows the journey through an illness - the good parts and the bad. I did find the change the mother go through a bit extreme but maybe what she went through does that

Mild spoilers:
I did find the Camp in the end a bit cliche. But its a cliche cause its beautiful and it helps. I have so many good memories going though different camps as a kid and maybe its a good way to remind people that. I just don't find it in my heart to judge it even tough its sooo cliche.

I Looooooooved that this wasn't a romance in a "The fault in our stars" kind of way. It was exploration of relationships through rough times.

Although the book went a bit slow for me and there are lot of cliches I really learned from it a lot and it was thoroughly enjoyable.

I'll be honest, when I first read the description of this one, I was afraid it was just another version of The Fault in our Stars... I was happily surprised that it was not. This wasn't just another teen romance (although there was some romance - and I was definitely rooting for Cason and Davis!!!). This is a story about perseverance and redemption. The story is told through the perspective of Cason, who has just been diagnosed with cancer and had her life turned upside down, and Davis, who is struggling with his sobriety & also a cancer survivor. The emotions felt very raw and real - I've never been through either situation personally, but I felt like I understood exactly how each character felt. I attribute this to the author's note at the end - the author never read a story about a girl who survived cancer, so she wrote one. It was a beautiful story that really inspired me to be brave.

Thank you to Kati Gardner, the publisher, Flux, and NetGalley for providing me an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is a sweet story of overcoming tragedy and learning to live with that life gives you. I absolutely loved this book. It has the same tone as Fault in Our Stars, but very different in storyline. I love the fact that the author used a few of her own experiences as a cancer survivor to inspire the story. That makes it more believable and allows you to connect with Cason. I laughed, cried and felt content after reading this book.

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an ARC to review.*

"I want to be brave."

This story is one you don't often hear - the story of a girl who had cancer and lived. The story of a girl who suffered unfairly, lost things that were important to her, because of cancer. This story details the anguish of losing your dream, the struggle to accept what you can't change, the need to exercise your passion and the fear that you might never be able to. It is also the story of a boy who struggled with drugs, who took everything from himself willingly.

It's so easy to give away your life. It isn't easy to take it back.

Brave Enough is a quick but emotional read, and the story is strong. The dialogue is great, but something about the narration just irked me. The writing feels like a report rather than a narrative, and the sentences seem kind of clumsy. However, this is an ARC, so it might be polished up before publication. The romance is slight and definitely not steamy at all - it's real-life and sweet.

Overall, this is a great story and I'd recommend it to anyone, especially for kids who struggle with identity after being diagnosed with a life-changing disease or similar scenario.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Flux for hooking me up with this beautifully depressing ARC.
This is a two POV story told through the alternating eyes of Cason and Davis.
They are both dealing with extreme hardships in life and find comfort in a new friendship with each other.
The bulk of the story if magnificently honest and painful and yet so lovely.
I wish there were more, I wanted more with the two of them. I wanted to know what was next for them and see them out in the world.
Unfortunately it would be near impossible to tell you what I liked about this book without giving away too much. so I will just say....
The author deals with some difficult subjects with honesty, tact and grace.

Brave Enough

Brave Enough by Kati Gardner

Published by Flux

August 21 2018

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Dance is Cason's life; she eats, sleeps and breathes it. So naturally she ignores pain and pushes past it. It's part of what makes her great. Until it's what changes her life. Davis can relate to life altering circumstances. He beat cancer but his drug addiction almost beat him. Cason doesn't just walk into Davis' life, she barrels head first and at a time when they both need a friend the most. Can these two beat the odds and be just brave enough to overcome their personal and collective battles?

I generally, as a rule of thumb, steer away from anything where the "c word" is involved. Cancer is a pure evil that took my dad from me just after his 50th birthday. The wounds are still fresh, tearing away at me at unexpected moments. However, I felt ready to tackle Brave Enough. I mean, just take a look at that cover!
I took today to sit with my pain, unsure of the effect this book may have on me. Kati Gardner created a beautiful story of pain, unknowing and fear coupled with love, longing and bravery. While I didn't quite "connect" with the characters - the note the author left at the end of the book should be taken into account. "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." After reading that, I believe this book could indeed help the person who needs it most.


If you're looking for a book with inspiration to change your circumstance or in need of a bit of hope, pick up Brave Enough. It may be just the book to uplift you.



I received a copy of Brave Enough from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

I received this book for free from Netgalley and publisher/author in exchange for a honest review.

This book is about 2 young people that come together and find the strength the help each and learn to depend on one another.

This story is gripping and found it to really hit home. There are young people in life that suffer and are forced to do things they don't want to do but being young, they have to conform to those around them. True friendship is something everyone needs and they journey they go through is a story worth telling.

This author did amazing job on this book. I would highly recommend reading this book.

Thank you so much Netgalley for the ARC of Brave. This was beautifully written and heartbreaking all at the same time. Aspiring dancer Cason Martin is diagnosed with cancer and her dreams of being a professional dancer are destroyed.
It’s a coping story and a different side of cancer than what I am used to reading. Instead of focusing on the treatments , it’s focused on the emotional toll. The denial, the grief, the feeling of helplessness. But it also talks about the hope, the friendships, the relationships that are formed and even healed.
Fantastic read!

I read this book recently. and have been mulling it over in my mind trying to sort out my feelings for it like I normally do after a read, and this one has stuck with me in both good ways and bad.

I was provided this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Katie Gardner is a cancer survivor herself, and you can really see that through this book. One of my favorite lines in in the very beginning in Cason's point of view

“Until that moment she hadn’t really believed kids got cancer. She’d always thought it was a plot device.”

I can totally understand why, which makes me really sad for all of the kids and teens out there looking for representation of themselves in literature and they see their illness used as a plot device. Anyway, on to my thoughts!

Davis and Cason where very real characters to me, in that they were both imperfect on a human level. Davis is a recovering cancer survivor and addict, and Cason is coming to terms with her diagnosis and the fact that she can no longer do what she love to do: ballet.

The downside of this story is the insta-love like romance that happened between the two protagonists. I wanted there to be more build up for the budding romance, but it just sort of fell flat for me. Cason's love for dance also seemed to overshadow much of her personality, and that was really sad because I wanted to know so much more about her. I also feel like there was so much more telling instead of showing that every time I got immersed into the story, I was thrown out of it and couldn't connect with the two main characters.

All in all, it did have it's redeeming qualities, but for me it was just an okay read.

I am grateful to NetGalley for allowing me to have an advanced reader copy of this book. Kati Gardner's Brave Enough is different than anything I have read before. Brave Enough starts with Cason, a young, inspiring dancer whose knee injury turns out to be cancer. The novel tackles her treatment, struggles (both physically and emotionally), and what is means to come out the other side of an excruciating struggle.

Enter Davis, a broken, recovering drug addict. His less than perfect character makes you want to root for him and see him succeed. His budding relationship with Cason is warmhearted. The weaving of Davis and Cason's stories (and switching between each character each chapter), made for a fast and enjoyable read.

As an educator, I enjoy YA novels that tackle real life struggles. Having experience in this cancer world myself and seeing students struggle with various medical obstacles over the years, I feel this novel will speak to many of my current and future students.

Overall, I enjoyed the plot and the realness of Kati Gardner's writing. Worth the read!

#BraveEnough #NetGalley

Thank you so much to Net Galley and Nirth Star Editins for an ARC of Brave Enough in return for my honest review.

I loved this book, the characters where realistic and likeable (mostly). The plot flowed really well and recolvedanround the main themes of Teenage Cancer, Drug addiction and relationships.
I devoured this book in a day, I could not put it down. It bought me smiles and many tears as I gunned for the characters to be brave and be their best. I highly recommend this wonderful story.

Thank you so much Kati Gardner for realising a gap in teen fiction and closing that gap with your wonderful words. I am sure you will be an inspiration to many and I hope this book gets recommended far amd wide. I will be recommending that my daughters school get copies .

I give this wonderful book 4 .5 stars.

I voluntarily reviewed an Reader Copy of this book which I received through Netgalley.
I really liked the story, but the writing couldn't totally bring justice to this story.

Typically, I am a sucker for anything dance related, but this was just ok. I appreciate the author writing what she knows and bringing an underused topic/resolution up, but I felt strangely disinterested.

ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Review will be posted on my blog and instagram within the next two weeks (before the end of May). Is currently already posted on my Goodreads and will be posted to amazon on release day.

3/5 stars for Brave Enough. Thank you so much to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. Maybe a book about young people with cancer probably wasn't the best option for me right now just because of what is going on in my personal life, but this book hit me hard. Emotionally, it packs a powerful punch, and I had to set it down a few times to give myself a break (in a good way). I did have some minor issues with the book, so let's get right down to it. Mild spoilers may be below:

WHAT I LOVED:
-The blatant honesty, and how it was used to portray childhood cancer. Kati Gardner gives such a powerful, wrenching portrayal of how it probably feels to have all of your dreams ripped away in one single moment, and have your life change so drastically. The way Cason narrates and her feelings throughout the story are right on point. There is no hiding from any of her emotions - they are brutal, honest, powerful, and right in your face. Of course, when I reached the Author's Note and the Acknowledgements, I realized why this was so accurate and realistic. More on that later.
-The way the medical field is portrayed. As a physical therapist, I LOVED this. Cason's Dr. and her PT are both so involved and invested in her recovery, and even though patient's may not love PT at the time, when we get to help a patient to return to doing something they love, it is so rewarding. Seeing this shine through in Gardner's writing was wonderful. I also completely understood the mixed feelings Mari and Cason both seemed to have about their medical team - so realistic and something I see each and every day.
-The Author's Note and Acknowledgements at the end. These were my very favorite parts of the book. Kati Gardner's honesty continues right on through to these sections, but this time about her own life - Gardner herself is a childhood cancer survivor, and an amputee. This explains how she was able to describe Cason's feelings so accurately and so openly. I loved these notes. PLEASE READ THEM.

WHAT I DIDN'T:
-TOO. MANY. TROPES. Let me just list some of them for you: Cancer. Overcoming addiction. Bad relationship with Mom turned good. Insta-love. I could go on. But honestly I'm going to stop. This book had too much going on. The plot was a little bit all over the place, and I know sometimes bad things happen in 3s but this book was over the top. Using cancer, opioid addiction, young death, evil mom, and insta-love all as plot devices in one book? Too much.
-One of my biggest pet peeves in books is stilted dialogue, and oh lord did this book have it. PEOPLE DO NOT TALK LIKE THAT. If you read a sentence out loud and it doesn't sound like something you'd actually say, FIX IT. It actually took me a little while to get past this, and it did get better as the book went on.
-The character development and entire plot felt rushed and a little forced to me. I never really developed a huge attachment to Cason or Davis, and never really bought into their insta-love. Obviously I was rooting for them, but I felt like I needed more. They were both a little bland (Cason more than Davis. Davis at least had some character). This was also lacking where Natalie was concerned - she went from bitchy dance mom to stay at home super supportive mom in what felt like less than two pages. Side note: while this may be slightly unfair, I HATED THE NAME CASON. I wanted to read it as Carson the entire book.

All in all, I did enjoy this book. It obviously had a few issues but if you're looking for a book that packs an emotional punch and gives a brutally honest depiction of what it's like to have childhood cancer, this is your pick.

Brace Enough will be released on August 21.

I really enjoyed this book! I thought it was character driven and I love that in a book. I did wish that there had been a little bit more of a plot, but this was still a fun read. I loved Cason and watching her as she struggled with having cancer in her leg and not being able to dance. I thought that Davis' addiction was realistic as he struggled to remain sober. Their stories were fun to read.

First of all this cover is absolutely stunning, I could see this being a cover buy for many people. However I think they will be pleasantly surprised by whats underneath it. Cason is a dancer, and its literally her entire life, so when she finds out she has cancer and she may never dance again it wrecks her. She meets Davis who's a cancer survivor and an recoding addict. In a different world these two would have nothing in common but thrust together under these circumstances their relationship blooms. I really loved this story even though at times I could not stand Cason. Also her mother was completely unlikeable for the majority of the story. I think the author did a good job of balancing the serious nature of the story with hope. Cancer stories tend to be heavy and hard to read, but I did not find that with story.