[I was given a copy for an ARC for an honest review]

This was a different book than usual, in a good way. I read this book in one sitting, about three hours, and I enjoyed it. The characters are very well developed and you can understand their behaviour and how they act. Their feelings and thoughts are conveyed in a very understanding but, at the same time, raw way, with you being able to relate to the characters and their struggles. I really liked the main character because she showed lots of strength without necessarily being afraid of showing weakness at the same time. The mother, on the other hand, annoyed me SO much! I mean her child has a life-threatening disease and THIS is how she acts? I understand her way of acting and, in perspective, I can see it was a kind of defense mechanism but still, at the moment of reading I just wanted to punch her. All other characters in the hospital are very supportive and I loved they way they acted and were around each other, giving you a sense of hope for the main character. And the end? Made me so happy. I really enjoy happy endings and this was one of them.

Overall the book is very nice and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys a happy-ending story with well developed characters and a good plot.

Thanks Netgalley and the publisher for the review copy!

I follow the author of this book on Instagram, and was excited when I got the chance to read a review copy. This isn't a subject I normally read a lot about, which was part of why I was drawn to the book. That, and the cover! Oh my goodness.

The story is a bit on the slower, quieter side, but not in a bad way. It's very much character-driven, rather than plot driven. I also appreciated that the story was driven by realistic events, both good and bad, rather than unnecessary, melodramatic, soap-opera-esque twists. Unlike books I've read in the past that deal with cancer (the Lurlene McDaniel books I loved as a preteen, The Fault in Our Stars), this book did not have moments that felt intended to make me sob. Instead, I found myself rooting for Cason, worried about Davis, and enjoying the way the characters grew over the course of the story. Overall, it's a solid YA novel.

I received a copy of this for a fair and honest review. I had heard a lot about this book before I got my hands on a copy. I was not sure that it was going to live up to what I have heard. I have to say that I am glad that I took the time to read it. It did kind of hit me hard for I have had people in my live have cancer. It made my heart race. I could not help but feel for Davis and Cason. They both have a lot of pressure on them to do what they are told. I am not sure I would be brave enough to face all they do. Cason's mother was a bit much for me to handle. I wish she was more a mother and not dancer instructor. This was a journey that is heart-swelling and emotionally painful in all the best ways. I want to keep talking about but I don't want to ruin it for those who wish to grab a copy and see what I am talking about.

I truly appreciate receiving this E-ARC, This book was both heartbreaking and uplifting. I enjoyed seeing how Cason and Davis matured throughout the story. The alternating chapters kept me turning pages. I do not have words to express how much I loved this novel.
The fact that the author writes from experience adds authenticity to the story as well. I appreciate that she wrote so honestly. Make sure to read the Author's Note at the end.

Brave Enough deals with such heavy topics, and still it was a quick and cute read. Definitely check it out!

While I couldn't connect with Davis or Cason as characters, I definitely could with what they were going through as those subjects are all too real in this day and age. Cason sees her dream of dancing (she's the youngest ballerina in the Atlanta Ballet Conservatory) slip away as an unthinkable diagnosis is revealed and Davis - a cancer survivor and now 7 months sober - fights to stay clean.

There is definite insta-love when they first meet (which I'm not a fan of) and from there they rely on each other (and their friends) to navigate their new lives and all the hardships that come along with it.

Brave Enough is a triumphant read centered around very real topics while still managing to balance young love, family dynamics, and friendships.

*Thank you to NetGalley and publisher for allowing me the opportunity to read and review early.*

It follows the story of two young adults Davis and Cason. Davis was an ex-cancer patient now struggling with addiction who also works as a volunteer. Cason, with big dreams of performing ballet in front of hundreds of people to showcase her talent. Shatters when she was brought to the hospital to find out something wrong with her leg. Their worlds collide, what happens next?

It is told under Cason and Davis alternative point-of-view. Each character struggles and depth of thought were excellently displayed. Despite that depth, it was not at all difficult with each switch of point-of-view. Which immediately made me capture my feelings for them at 12% of the book. Not only for the two. But for everyone at the clinic, therapy, they were all hard-butt and I love Mari. (Wish’d get her own book.)

That depth I was talking about. It was profound. Davis battling addiction had me crying and rooting for him. And when I say crying~I really was, salty water stuff was coming out of my eyes. Then there was Cason too making it a sobfest. All I can say is that the way their story was written is driven by the person’s character. And boy it was excellently laid out for the readers to read and devour upon. Each intricacy was translated thoughtfully moving.

I admire both characters for being brave enough to go through it all. Just because the book ended the struggles ends too. It doesn’t; there are still battles to come. The portrayal of Cason and Davis character’s were fervently authentic. Surely a story I won’t be forgetting.

A demerit: All of the mention about how fun Camp Chemo it got me stoked on a detailed event of the said camp. I was expecting then, only to read scenarios that felt brief and rushed.

But overall, Brave Enough was an amaong red with such authenticity, hope and love.

"Are you ready to be remarkable?"

Cason Martin is a ballerina who's been hiding an injury that's much worse then it seems. Davis Channing survived cancer but nearly lost his life to drug addiction. Now their worlds are colliding and they must figure out if they're brave enough. Can Davis get away from his drug addicted ex girlfriend? How will Cason deal with the possibility of never dancing again?
I received an advanced ebook version of this book which comes out August 21st. When I saw the cover on netgalley it drew me in and I wanted to read this book. Upon finishing the book I can say that the story is just as wonderful as the cover design. The only other book I think I've read dealing with cancer is The Fault in Our Stars. So it was nice to see another book dealing with this tricky subject.
I really like how the characters help each other through rough times. I really connected with this book, even though I haven't dealt with cancer I have dealt with glaucoma since the age of seven and had 14 surgeries. So it was nice to see the strength and sadness of surgery and recovery portrayed in this book. I would highly recommend checking it out and I'll likely be picking up a finished copy in August!I

I was torn between four and five stars for this one, but I completely lost myself in the story while reading, so I decided it deserved the full five.

Though it was a fluffy and cute contemporary, there were also some more serious topics which were dealt with, and I appreciated that.

It deals with cancer more so than nearly any other book I've read. And the author has experience. She gets it, and that definitely comes across in the book.

It also dealt with drug addiction. This was very new for me. I mean, I knew that it happened, but I didn't get it until now. This book helped me understand so much more what people will go through, and I am so appreciative that this book went there and dealt with the topic.

What I did not appreciate was the insta-love. I say that I hate it all the time, but if I'm honest here I really don't mind if it's done well. However, in this book I did find it a bit jarring. It didn't feel like love at first sight, it was like love at third sight or something. So not long enough for either one to have a reason to like each other, but not like the destiny meet-cute which I thought was a bit strange.

I also wasn't the biggest fan of Cason. I feel like I could have liked her, if I got to know more of her personality earlier on. I get that dancing is a big part of her life, and that was something I really enjoyed in this book, but it is not the only element to her character, and I wish we got to know other stuff about her as well.

But overall, the ship was so so so so so so CUTE and I was absolutely in love, so though I can say these things now that I've had a day to think about this book, I was in love the entire time I was reading, which is EXACTLY what I look for in a book, so that was absolutely NAILED!!

Overall, loved it, highly recommend, can't wait for a realease date! 100% worth that cover!

I loved Brave Enough. Cason deals with pressure and stress all her life as a dancer with her mom as the director were she practices. During the biggest audition of her life she has the absolute worst pain and damages her knee which ultimately leads to her diagnosis of cancer and subsequent treatment. Cason meets so many incredible people in her life and learns that, even though she has faces many struggles and tribulations, she is still a dancer. I loved that the author had genuine experience on the topic and thank her for writing about something so real and giving the characters such personality.

I received an ARC of this book from Net Galley. Thank you!

Thank you North Star Editions and Netgalley for the complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Brave Enough tackles the hardships of not just the two main teen characters but their family, friends and the people who are there to support and heal them, about Cancer And Drugs, about falling and loosing hope, loosing their way, getting back up, finding their courage and dreams and finding each other and being brave. The struggles were so real you'll cry when they cry. I just didnt like the part where he always says he needs a hit, I already feel his struggles, the stress building up the need for him to use, I guess the use of 'I need a hit' every single time is an excess. Aside from that it's a good read for me. It's just a short read, but it still showed the parents struggle. I'm also glad that it shows how the team of healthcare providers felt, that they also struggle, that they're happy saving ones life and also in pain if they loose the battle.
So there, it's not a long read but it touched a lot of surface. I recommend for you to read this book.

Brave Enough by Kati Gardner is the kind of book my heart sings for. It is the kind of book where I, a disabled teenager, belongs.
I cannot express how cathartic and good was this book for my soul. We discover Carson, a former classical dancer who is diagnosed with a bones cancer which stops her future career as a ballerina and shatters her dream in pieces, and Davis, a cancer survivor fighting against a drug addiction.
This novel explores so many questions: disabilities, future, relationship between mother and daughter, addiction, responsibility, ambition.
Kati Gardner gets it, okay. She gets it because she is it. She is disabled and she is a cancer survivor. She knows and she has felt any of Carson’s emotions: her pain and her self-hatred, her fear and her disgust for her disability, for her own body.
I felt it too, I felt it so much.

Loved the characters, they were easy to "know". I only nicked it a couple stars because for me I like more of a plot line, this didn't have a strong one. It was emotional and beautiful story and certainly relevant to today's issues.

This topic is really hard for me. This book really great. Author did an amazing job. I cried a lot while reading it. It is meaningful, realistic and amazing. Everyone should read this.

WOW< WOW< WOW> I was not sure what to expect, but I can tell you that this is completely different and a very very special story. The reader will fall in love with the heroine early on and be rooting for her as she discovers herself and learns to heal and live again. The authors choice to alternate narrators only adds to the depth of the story. Cancer, addition, and the loss of dreams might be too much for one book, but in this case it is not. The characters that help our hero and heroine on their journey have depth and add much nto the story. The is a truly beautiful book about surviving the worst hurdles and rising above them to soar. I strongly recommend this book to readers!

"Brave Enough" deals with childhood cancer with an honesty and cautious optimism that Kati Gardner, a childhood cancer survivor herself, makes believable. Gardner does not simplify her characters to their struggle with cancer, but rather creates fully develop individuals - whose struggle with cancer is only one component. Unlike other books in the genre, it doesn't feel that cancer is being exploited to create a highly emotive book. Rather, Gardner is able to tell a moving YA story in a way that feels real. Highly recommend!

Brave Enough is a story about what happen when you have to rebuild yourself once you face losing your biggest dream. It is about what it truly means to be brave. Cason is one of the best young ballet dancers in the country; she’s on the cusp of being accepted into a prestigious conservatory when her dreams are shattered by cancer. She has to learn how to rebuild with the help of new friends.

Plot:
This wasn’t a super plot based book, it was mainly revolved around what the characters have went through and what they’re currently going through. It was so beautifully sad seeing Cason fight her cancer, and find the purpose of her life outside of her dancing. The author wrote the addiction that Davis was going through perfectly. She showed how anything would trigger his addiction, not just a major event.
Characters:
I loved both Cason and Davis and their growth throughout this book. This isn’t revolved around their relationship, but right off the bat they start liking each other. If we’re being honest, it was a little bit awkward between them, since they didn’t really have a backstory together, they just kind of start liking each other. But they also share the battle for cancer, and overcoming it. It was beautiful seeing both of them progress together and separately through the battles they faced.
Overall:
This story was beautifully written, and I think it deserves more hype. It really opened my eyes to the fight against addiction and cancer. Please do yourself a favor and pick this up. And LOOK AT THAT COVER HOLY MOLY.

Okie first off, the cover to this is stunning. Its one of the most beautiful ones that I have seen in a while.

The book follows Cason and Davies as the main character their stories are remarkable. Cason is a ballerina that gets diagnosed with Bone Cancer, and Davies is the one that is a cancer survivor and also recovering from an addiction to drugs.

Being in the heads of both of these two people an getting to see how they are with having cancer and dealing with addiction was amazing.

We get to see Cason’s life as a high school student and her love of dance. She is a ballerina that is preparing for her audition for the American Ballet Theater. She only wants to dance and doesn’t have time for anything else. She’s not going to let the pain in her knee stop since she thinks is just a sprain. When she does find out what it truly is it changes everything.

Davis is one of the lucky ones that was able to conquer cancer, but now he has a different type of problem. He has an addiction. He has to do community service at the hospital that he got treaded at a few years ago. Davis has an ex-girlfriend who I found to be rather annoying because she would always come at the worst times for Davis asking for help/money.

Cason is getting chemo at the hospital where Davis is doing his community service and when they meet you can tell there is an instant connection. Even with the both of them having their own stories they still find love in one another, aside from one another knowing what the other is going through.

Kati wrote an outstanding book. I’m surprised that this was her debut book. I can’t wait to see what other works she has up her sleeve. I was able to connect and feel for these characters and you don’t always have that happen with this type of book. At the end of the book we get to know that this was something that actually happened to Kati just as Cason. Finding that out blew me away.

With this book being one that deals with cancer/depression it may not be a book for everyone.

*I received this book in exchange for an honest review form Netgalley and the publisher. *

* Thank you to NetGalley for e-ARC in exchange for an honest review *
This book follows 2 characters Cason and Davis, both of which are dealing with incrediable hardships. Cason has just been diagnosed with cancer and Davis is dealing with a drug addiction. We get to see their individual struggles and how their relationship wavers.
I really liked this book. It was a fast read full of emotion and provided excellent connection to the characters. Not to mention the cover is gorgeous.