Title: Finding Balance Series: Brave Enough #2
Author: Kati Gardner
Pages: 320 pages
Version: Ebook (ARC)
Publisher: Flux
Release date: 29 September 2020
Rating: ★★★.5
Synopsis
Jase Ellison doesn’t remember having Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia when he was three years old. His cancer diagnosis only enters his mind twice a year. Once at his yearly checkup at the oncology clinic and when he attends Camp Chemo in the summer. No one in his “real” life knows about his past, especially his friends at Atlanta West Prep.
Mari Manos has never been able to hide her cancer survivorship. She wakes every morning, grabs her pink forearm clip crutches, and starts her day. Mari loves Camp Chemo—where she’s developed a healthy crush on fellow camper Jase. At Camp, she knows that she’ll never get “the look” or have to explain her amputation to anyone.
Jase wants to move on, to never reveal his past. But when Mari transfers to his school, he knows she could blow his cover. That’s the last thing he wants, but he also cannot ignore his attraction to her. For Mari, she only wants to be looked at like a girl, a person, and not only known for her disability. But how do you move on from cancer when the world won’t let you?
Review
This book was provided by the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Flux and Netgalley!
Finding Balance is the second book in the Brave Enough series and tells the story of Mari and Jase. Although this is the second book in the series, it can be read as a standalone.
It’s been a while since I read the first book, Brave Enough, but I do remember enjoying the book because I learnt so much about what it means to be a survivor. I liked this book as well because I learnt so much more about being a survivor but also about the consequences of having cancer. I think there need to be more books about this topic!
Mari is a strong character because she’s an amputee and she tries to be as strong as she can when people ask her so many questions or say mean things about her missing a leg. Jase, on the other hand, doesn’t want to share his story because he doesn’t want people to say mean things to him. I kinda have a love/hate relationship with Jase but he redeemed himself at the end of the book.
Finding Balance was a good book with a beautiful message. I enjoyed reading this book and I really liked learning more about cancer, amputees and their struggles. This story is a story that I will not forget because I definitely learnt a few things and I liked the fact that this story is so personal to the author!