(Goodreads 14 March 2018. Amazon: 21 Aug 2018, expected publication date)
4.5 stars.
What a delight to read!
There’s an authenticity and truthfulness in this story that captured me and made me read it in one setting. Kati Gardner writes realistically and accurately about cancer and cancer treatments, but, above all, about young people dealing with the disease (and other serious issues). The medical/clinical knowledge, details, experiences, feelings about very young people with cancer are absolutely believable, poignant and heartbreaking sometimes, sweet and endearing other times: the meaning behind Davis’ “smile with a wink” and the inspiration for it are an example of an author deeply committed to her story and subject. In the afterword, we’ll know where, to some extent, that experience comes from, but there’s also lots of talent telling a story with likeable main and secondary characters, handling serious issues with know-how, sensitivity and humor.
I loved how Davis and Cason spent so much time with each other and enjoyed their emotional closeness before they even kissed. Davis’ struggle is so hard and poignant to read, and so well dramatized. Cason is a beautiful character too.
And I’d love to read more about these complex and compelling characters, perhaps Kati Gardner would consider a sequel…

***Thank you to NetGalley for providing me a complimentary copy of BRAVE ENOUGH in exchange for my honest review.***

When ballerina Cason is diagnosed with bone cancer in her leg, she fears her life is over. Davis is currently cancer free, almost a year clean and sentenced to community service on the cancer ward where he was treated. The two teens may just be able to help each other survive their difficulties.

Debut writer Kati Garner, a cancer survivor, based BRAVE ENOUGH loosely on some of her experiences. Billed as a YA novel, BRAVE ENOUGH felt more like a story kids in middle school would enjoy. The predictability, insta-romance and trope characters may bore older teens, but tween readers will be drawn to the drama. I’m also a cancer survivor and was glad for the realistic portrayal of cancer and chemo,

Readers who like Lurlene McDaniel will enjoy BRAVE ENOUGH.

This book was lovely.

I've never read about childhood cancer so I was a little apprehensive about how intense it was going to be. At the same time, I was also worried about how real the situation was going to feel. After reading the author's note about how she had the same kind of cancer as Cason, it made it feel all the more real.

Cason's story was incredibly heartbreaking. Her fears and anger were so real and heartfelt that it made me so sad for her. I loved how she pushed through her pain, but also allowed herself to feel all the emotions and grief that came from her journey.

Davis was such a great character. His cancer didn't really come in to play much in this book beyond having a connection to Cason. His struggle with addiction felt very real and I can only imagine that's what other people with addiction go through on a daily basis. For being as young as he is he showed incredible strength and I think other young people who are suffering from the same disease can really draw strength from his story. I wish there was an epilogue so we could see how he was doing 3 years from the end of the book.

I loved every last one of the secondary characters. They all had amazing stories to tell and they accepted Cason with open arms. I loved the little bits of their storyline that we got to see, too. Especially Mari, she was probably my favorite.

If you're worried about being a crying blubbering mess through the whole book, you won't be. I cried through the last maybe 10% of the book because mushy moments always get to me. Overall, I do recommend this book.